Aaron and the Snow Queen
by TrassDrakin
Summary: Elsa has just fled her own coronation party after her powers were revealed. From there she decides to go deep into the mountains and erects her ice palace. However, once there she meets someone she did not expect. (Elsa x OC, If you like it please feel free to leave a review or follow)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Snow drifted down upon the mountains, pausing to dance with the swirling winds before continuing down to earth. It was well into the dark hours of the morning as the storm continued to howl and the entire sky was veiled by a thick layer of clouds. Temperatures dropped to below freezing, despite the fact that it was in the middle of July, as the white flakes continued to rain down.

Not a single animal could be seen across the wintery countryside, as the freak blizzard had driven them to the valleys for shelter. That is, all except for one solitary individual, slowly trudging up the slope. A single person trying to push through the drifts of freshly fallen snow. After a few minutes of plowing the figure paused to take a breath and look around. Massive mountains loomed all around in all directions, but the individual's attention appeared to be fixed straight ahead.

There, like a darkened sentinel, loomed the secluded North Mountain, a lone peak that towered above all its brethren. Its beckoning cliffs offered seclusion but also promising danger to any who would dare approach. Perfect for those who wished to be alone.

But, more importantly, on the far side was the Northern Pass, which allowed one to cross the mountains and drop down into the valleys beyond, which was exactly what the figure was looking for. He just hadn't planned on all the snow.

"It's the height of summer," he grumbled to himself, continuing to plough forward. "And, of course, the one time I cross over the divide a blizzard blows in."

Of course, this was Arendelle, so it wasn't unheard of for snow storms to occur in even the hottest of summers. In fact, this was so far north that snow was an ever present part of the landscape. In all his time living there, however, he'd never seen one nearly as bad as this. Such a storm was rare even in winter, dropping as much as ten feet in less than a day.

_Oh well_, he thought, _It's just as well that the cold never bothers me. Just wish I'd thought to bring my snowshoes._

Aaron Folkestad had spent his entire life traipsing around the mountains and hills of Arendelle and had learned to love the cold and snow. But, as he struggled his way slowly through drift after drift, even he had to admit all this was a bit much.

Just then, as though in answer to his thoughts, the snow ceased falling and the clouds began to part, revealing the stars above. Smiling at his good fortune, he noticed a lightening of the sky and glanced over shoulder to see the first rays of the sun poking over the horizon. His smile couldn't help but falter in response. _So much for making the pass by morning. At this rate I'll be lucky to get there by noon._

_Of course, there are faster means by which to travel, _he thought, but quickly shook his head. _Just because I don't think there's anyone else up here doesn't mean there isn't any. Best not to take any chances._ _A little walking never hurt anyone._

Casting the thoughts from his mind, Aaron was about to continue on when he paused. He'd been deep in thought but was it just him, or had he just heard something other than the wind? He listened for a few seconds, shrugged and had just taken a step before stopping again. There it was again. It almost sounded like… a voice? But that was impossible. No one would be foolish enough to come up here in this weather. Well, aside from him that is.

Sure enough, however, he heard what sounded like a woman's voice again, rising over the tundra. In fact, it sounded like someone was…

"Singing?"

Aaron was so perplexed that he couldn't help but utter the word allowed. Someone had come all the way up here just to sing? He looked around over the vast landscape, trying to decipher where the singing was coming from, when it finally occurred to him. It was being carried by the wind and that was blowing almost directly west, which left only one feasible option. The voice had to be coming directly from the North Mountain.

_Who'd be foolish enough to venture there?_ he thought. _Not even I would risk climbing it with the weather like this. _

He waited quietly for a few minutes, but the singing seemed to have stopped for good this time. After a moment or two more, Aaron decided that he had a choice to make. Either make for the Northern Pass, lest the snows return and close it for the foreseeable future, or try to discover the source of the mysterious voice.

_I do need to get through the pass as soon as possible,_ he thought, wondering how long it would be until they reopened. _Of course, on the other hand, I'll be going right past the mountain and it's not like it's that far out of the way. It'd take me an hour to look around, two at the most, and then I could continue on back home._

After wrestling with the options in his head for a few minutes, however, his curiosity ultimately got the better of him and he decided to make for the mountain. And even if the passes did close, there were other ways over the mountains.

The sun had climbed considerably higher in the sky when he finally managed to reach the base of the mountain. In that time the storm had all but abated, leaving as quickly as it had come to a beautiful azure sky. And there, up amongst the snow, was something he hadn't expected. A set of footprints leading higher up onto the mountain. So there was someone up here. A woman, judging from the size of the prints.

_Oh well. I've come this far. Might as well go the rest of the way_.

Resining that this would likely take the rest of the day to get up and down the mountain, he proceeded to follow the tracks. They led up a twisting and spiraling path up the peak, through ravines and over crevasses. At times he'd lose the prints where the wind had blown them away but managed to find them once more after a brief search.

_Man, whoever came all the way up here really wanted to be alone_, Aaron thought as he carefully worked his way through an array of frozen spikes. One slip at any number of places along the path could mean an instant demise.

He finally managed to hike around a rock wall after what seemed like ages when Aaron saw something the likes of which he'd never beheld. Before him was a deep chasm, dropping hundreds of feet below, but it wasn't the chasm that had his attention, rather what lay just beyond it.

It was a towering palace, nestled against the peak of the mountain. It rose from the snow in a single tower but had numerous three-pronged spires coming off. A single balcony sat directly above the lofty entrance, which was led up to by a delicate staircase crossing the abyss, and the whole structure seemed to be made of some sort of translucent material. But the most striking part of the building was the color. It was a wash of blues, from deep sapphire in the main columns to a lighter cerulean in the smaller pillars, except for where the sun shone upon it directly. There it flashed with all manners of purples and reds as it refracted the light.

After starring for several minutes, Aaron realized that his mouth was agape and closed it before shaking his head and closing his eyes. However, when he opened them, the palace was still there so he decided to slowly approach the bridge across the void. He was about to lay his hand upon one of the rails when he finally realized what it was made from.

"Ice?"

That just made it all the more impossible. How could any building be made completely from ice, much less on top of a mountain? It would take a hundred men a hundred days to make something less than a tenth the size. And yet, there in front of him was the spectacular sight he'd ever seen.

Aaron debated for a few seconds on whether or not to proceed but eventually decided to continue. Even if it turned out he was absolutely mad and it was all an illusion, he just had to know where this palace came from, or at least who'd built it.

So, with a quick prayer to no one in particular, he cautiously set a foot onto the first step of the bridge, and when it held Aaron proceeded to the next one, all while keeping a firm grip on the rail. He continued like this all the way across, carefully testing every step before finally arriving at the door. And what a door it was. It had to be almost ten, no, fifteen feet tall and several inches thick, with an intricate carving of a snowflake engrained into its surface.

Again Aaron paused, still not believing what his eyes were insisting was real. And there was only one way to know for sure. He held up his gloved hand and gave it a solemn look before letting out a sigh and removing the glove with his other hand. He then slowly reached out towards the door and drew within an inch of it before hesitating. Drawing in a deep breath and closing his eyes, he muttered to himself, "It's alright, Aaron. Control it." He then opened his eyes back up and pressed his hand against the door.

Sure enough, the door was freezing cold to the touch and Aaron couldn't help but grin. He loved the feeling of frost against his hot skin and enjoyed it for a few moments before he felt the surface begin to slicken. He quickly removed his hand before the ice began to melt and replaced his glove. Then, raising his hand once more, Aaron gave the door a single hard knock. What he wasn't expecting was for the door to give way and glide open with hardly a sound.

Aaron waited a few seconds for something to happen, and when nothing did he cleared his throat and said, "Uh…hello? Anyone here?"

His voice echoed slightly but otherwise there was no response. After waiting slightly longer he shrugged. _Must not be anyone home_, he thought as he stepped inside. Much to his surprise, the door then proceeded to slide shut behind him. …_Weird._

If he'd thought that the outside was incredible, then the inside was just as spectacular. The door opened into a massive circular entrance hall, with the ceiling dozens of feet above the floor. Enormous support columns around the edge held up the floor above, which had a large ivory snowflake emblazed across it. All the surfaces throughout were a blend of blues much like the outside, except for the purple hues as there were no windows to allow direct sunlight in. The most striking feature of the room, however, was the fountain at the far side flanked by a pair of sweeping staircases, which led to a second set of stairs and what he assumed was the rest of the palace.

Unless he was somehow mistaken, it looked as though the water in the fountain had instantly frozen in midair, with the droplets splaying out in flowing patterns. Crossing the room slowly so as not to slip, he circled the structure slowly and paused.

"It's not possible," he murmured quietly, reaching out to one such spray. He was just about to touch it when a voice echoed across the room.

"Who are you?"

Aaron spun on the spot, scanning the room but found it just as empty as it was when he first came in. Furrowing his brow and glancing from side to side, he replied, "Sorry?"

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Upon hearing the voice a second time he realized that it'd come from the landing at the top of twin staircases behind him. Turning around and looking up, Aaron once more started to say sorry, only to have his jaw drop for the second time. For there, standing above him, was without a doubt the beautiful woman he'd ever seen. And she did not look terribly happy to see him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

A moment or two passed before Aaron was even able to blink. His brain seemed to go into a haze the second he laid eyes on the woman before him.

Standing on the landing above him, she looked like something out of a dream. Her hair was so faded it could have almost passed for white if not for the slightest hint of blonde. Swept back from her face, it was woven into a single delicate braid that trailed over her left shoulder. Her skin was flawlessly pale, highlighting the blush of her cheeks and the rose of her lips. The clothes she wore were like no fabric Aaron had ever encountered, the way it shimmered in the light. Her turquoise dress seemed to ripple with her every movement as it reached up from her feet to a cerulean bodice that seemed almost… crystalline in its design, with numerous overlapping scales catching the light from various angles. A translucent cape dropped from the bodice and fanned out on the floor behind her, with all manner of intricate snowflakes entwined into it. To top it all off, she wore a delicate blouse under her bodice that dropped off her shoulders, extending down to her wrists and also had shimmering patterns laced into it.

However, the most striking part of her was undoubtedly her eyes. They were vividly blue and perfectly framed by her lavish eyelashes. Incredibly beautiful and deep, he felt that if he wasn't careful he could get lost in them forever. At that moment, however, they were giving him an almost hostile stare.

It was probably only a few seconds but felt more like an eternity to Aaron before his wits returned to him. Blinking several times and giving his head a shake, he opened his mouth to speak but found that his brain had not quite recovered. "Ah… sorry, I, uh, um…" _What's the matter with me?_

With an irritated roll of her eyes she spoke again. "I'll ask you one last time. Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Who was he? That seemed like a good question at the moment as he scrambled to organize his thoughts. After another pause, he drew in a breath and said, "Apologies, milady. I'm not normally so… dysfunctional."

That managed to eke out the ghost of a grin from her lips, allowing Aaron to muster his courage and continue. "It's just that, I've never seen anything quite as wondrous as this place."

"It is incredible, isn't it?" she replied, taking her eyes off him to look around the room with what appeared to be pride on her face. That quickly vanished, however, as she looked back at him. "Unfortunately, I don't think you answered either of my questions."

"Oh, right. Sorry." _Stop apologizing so much, you twit._ "My names Aaron and I live in these mountains."

"I see."

She seemed to be considering this when he decided to interject. "You know, it's typically considered polite to offer your name when someone gives you theirs."

"Really?" she replied coolly. "Is it also considered polite where you're from to barge into someone's home uninvited?"

"Well, no, you've got me there," he replied with a smirk. "But can you blame me? I mean, just look at this." He turned and gestured to the structure around them as he spoke.

This time he managed to get a genuine smile from her. "Alright, you're forgiven, Aaron. As for my name, I'm Qu-" She abruptly cut off midsentence and glanced away as the smile vanished. After a moment of thought, she said, "My name is Elsa."

Elsa. A lovely name, but it seemed familiar to him, as though he'd heard it somewhere before. But then, it was probably quite popular down in the city so it didn't seem odd that he'd heard it. Instead, he merely said, "That's a melodious name."

"Thank you. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Again Aaron was stunned for a second. "What? Why?"

Her eyes darkened slightly as she said, "Because this is my home, and I don't take kindly to uninvited guests."

"Yes, but-"

"I'm sorry, but our conversation is at an end." Elsa turned and began walking back to the stairs. "Please show yourself out and do not return."

"Wait!" Aaron quickly dashed around to the base of the stairs below her, stopping with one foot on the bottom stair and one hand partially reaching to her.

She paused at the hall and cast him a glance. "Please, just leave. It's for your own good."

Whatever that meant. But Aaron could see that he wasn't getting anywhere. "Alright. I'll go. But please just answer me one question."

Elsa gave a small sigh as she looked at the floor in front of her. "Yes, Aaron?"

"Who made this place?"

… "I did."

Of all the things that she could have said, that was the one that he was least expecting. If she'd told him that angels had descended from the clouds and built it with mist he might have believed her more. Instead, he merely said, "What?"

Raising her head proudly with a satisfied smile, Elsa turned to face him. "I made this place."

Aaron gave her a skeptical look and when she continued to smile, he sighed. "Alright, I'll ask the obvious question. How?"

Arching a delicate eyebrow and raising her hand, she said, "Like this," and with that, flicked her hand forward. Aaron could only stare in amazement as a flurry of snow and frost seemed to materialize from her hand and drift towards him before she waved her hand again, causing the snow to fall to the floor.

Several seconds passed as he stared at her. It was all he could do keep his knees from buckling beneath him or his brain from seizing up again. After trying just to breath for a moment, he tried to speak. "You… you're…"

"Yes. I'm a sorceress who can control the ice and snow." She strode to the top of the stairs and gave him an imposing stare. "Now you see why I asked you to leave."

Aaron didn't move an inch, continuing to stare at her with awe and amazement. "No, no… I mean, yes. But that… that's not what I was going to say."

"Oh?" Now it was her turn to look uncertain. "And what were you going to say?"

"I was going to say…" He paused, trying to remain calm. Could it be true? Could she really be what he thought she was?

Elsa's face soured as she grew impatient. "Yes?"

Taking in a deep breath, Aaron steeled himself. "I was going to say that you're like me."

No matter how confused he'd felt when she'd revealed her powers to him, it was nothing compared to the wave of expressions that passed over her face. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in a silent question as she tried to comprehend what he'd just said. He tried to give her an empathetic smile but she just stared at him.

Finally she managed to word a question. "What do you mean, 'just like me'? Can you control snow as well?"

"Well, no. But I can do other things."

As Aaron spoke he slowly started climbing the stairs and couldn't help but notice that for every step he took forward, Elsa took a smaller one back. He continued forward until he reached the landing and was level with her. She'd retreated to the far side and was clutching one of her hands to her chest as though to defend herself.

Her eyes were full of fear and confusion, but when she spoke, her voice was steady. "Show me."

Giving her another reassuring smile, Aaron raised his right hand and slowly removed his gloves. Then he reached deep into the recesses of his mind and opened an old gate. As he did this he felt a wave of heat surge from his heart, out into his extremities. Channeling it into his hand, he finally released some of the energy. At that moment, a small torrent of fire erupted from his palm and collected into a small ball floating above his hand. He then cut off the fire but left the crimson sphere hovering, rippling with heat and flame.

Elsa took a few tentative steps forward, her eyes fixed on sphere. She continued towards him slowly until she was only a few feet away. Her hand then came up almost unconsciously, as though she didn't believe what she was seeing. However, before she could actually touch it Aaron released his control over it and the fire flashed into nothingness.

"Careful. That's actually quite hot," he teased as he lowered his hand.

Her eyes flashed back to his as she tried to figure out what she'd just seen. He could see her mind whirling between fear and elation, but couldn't decide which was winning. She finally dropped her gaze down to her own hands and gave them a long stare before coming to a decision.

Closing her eyes, she said, "I'm sorry, but that doesn't change anything and I still need you to leave."

Aaron was so shocked he took a step back as though she'd struck him. "What? 'Doesn't change anything'? Elsa, do you know what this means?"

Grimacing and turning her head away, she said, "It doesn't matter, Aaron. Now please go."

With that she turned with her arms crossed tightly across her chest and started to walk back toward the stairs.

But Aaron wasn't ready to quit, reaching his hand out to her. "No, wait! Elsa, please!"

Shaking her head, she continued forward. "No! I'm just trying to protect you!"

In a last ditched effort, he reached out and caught one of her hands in his, causing her to spin back around. "Elsa, please understand! I've never met anyone like me before!"

"I don't care! Let go of me!" She yanked her hand from his grasp and was about to turn away again when she appeared to notice something. "You're hand…"

Aaron furrowed his brow, confused. "Yeah, I know it's hot, but what did you expect?"

"No no. It didn't freeze…"

Where was she going with this? "Well, yeah, it doesn't normally freeze."

She looked into his eyes with an expression of sheer shock. "You don't understand! I freeze everything I touch!"

As he tried to make sense of this she slowly reached out with both hands and, after a great deal of hesitation, tentatively took his hand in both of hers. While her hands were extremely cool, Aaron couldn't help but marvel at how soft they were.

She continued to stare at their interwoven hands as though it was the most shocking thing she'd ever seen. "No ice…"

It was then that the source of her shock dawned on him and his face grew grim. "You can't control your powers, can you?"

"Well, not fully, no," she replied, still looking at their hands. While keeping one hand firmly on his she allowed the other to drift up his wrist until it came in contact with his sleeve and a flash of frost quickly grew across it. Elsa jerked back her hand as though it'd stung her. "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright, nothing I can't handle." Taking his other hand, he placed it on the sleeve. Aaron then allowed fire to surge through his arm again but contained it this time. His hand seemed to glow red for a moment before returning to normal and when he lifted his hand the ice was gone.

Elsa's eyes widened in amazement as she closely inspected the sleeve but found it bone-dry. Her face quickly fell again when she looked back at their clasped hands. "But why can't I freeze you?"

"It's obvious isn't it?" Aaron couldn't help but laugh when she gave him a confused look. "Much like your power for snow, I have control over fire, which basically makes me fire incarnate. And you can't freeze fire."

"I suppose that makes sense," she replied. "But…"

Aaron waited patiently for her to continue but found that she needed a slight prod. "Yes?"

"Well, if I freeze everything I touch," she continued, "Then why don't you burn everything you touch?"

His smile returned. At least that question was easy enough to answer. "Because I learned a long time ago how to control my powers and to not let them control me." Unfortunately, it didn't have the intended effect as her expression saddened. Quickly trying to change subjects, he said, "But you don't freeze everything you touch! You don't freeze your clothes at least."

Elsa's gloom seemed to lift as she too smiled. "My clothes are made of ice."

"Wait, seriously?"

"Yup. I made them myself."

Completely shocked, he took a closer look at her sleeve and, upon inspection he realized that it was in fact made of an intricate weaving of frost. "I'll be damned," Aaron muttered.

Elsa couldn't help but laugh at that before switching back to their pervious subject. "But you say that you have absolute control over your abilities?"

"Uh, well, I don't know if I'd go so far as to say absolute," he replied, running his other hand through his hair as he pondered the question. "They're hard to handle in stressful situations, but otherwise, yeah, I guess I'd say I've got decent control."

…"Could you teach me?"

That caught Aaron's attention. "Excuse me?"

Elsa appeared to have come to a decision with herself. "If… if I let you stay here, could you teach me to control my powers like how you control yours?"

Aaron tried to appear to mull this over for a few seconds, but internally he was euphoric. He wanted to say yes right away but thought it might be better to try and play it cool. So, he simply said, "I suppose I could try."

Her eyes lit up instantly. "Really?! Thank you thank you! I really-" She cut herself off midsentence and appeared to compose herself. "Thank you. Would you like me to show you the rest of the castle?"

Grinning, he gave her cool demeanor right back to her. "That would be lovely. But first?"

"Yes?"

"Could you let go my hand?"

Elsa's cheeks instantly flushed crimson and her eyes dropped as she quickly released his hand. "Sorry, I didn't realize I was still holding it." She quickly turned away in an effort to hide her smile and made for the stairs. "This way, Aaron," she said over her shoulder.

Aaron couldn't help but smirk as he followed. "Right behind you, Elsa."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Oh, wow!" Aaron's eyes lit up as he gazed up at the crystalline chandelier hanging above them. "I know you said it was beautiful, but this is… wow."

Though she was trying to remain aloof, Elsa had to admit that his enthusiasm was infectious. Her powers were nothing new to her, but it was fun to see them through someone else's eyes.

"And that's not even my favorite part," she replied.

He gave her a puzzled look. "It's not? What could be better than that?" he asked, gesturing up.

Elsa merely smiled and said, "Look down."

She couldn't help but giggle as his eyes widened in shock as he looked down at the enormous snowflake engrained into the floor. Taking several steps back, he shook his head in amazement. "Alright. I stand corrected. This is amazing."

"Thank you."

Aaron slowly started to circle the room, never taking his eyes off the snowflake as he viewed it from different angles. "Any particular reason it's your favorite? I mean, apart from the obvious."

Her eyes grew distant for a moment as she thought back on the previous night. "I guess it's because it was the first part of this place that I made. The first time that I truly let my power flow."

"You're kidding." He'd circled the entire room and came back to stand at her side. "How'd you get it up onto the second floor?"

That was actually a good question and she wasn't entirely sure what the answer was. "I guess… I guess I just envisioned what I wanted and my powers made it a reality."

Aaron looked at her and smiled. "Impressive. But if you don't mind me asking, how'd you create such detail?"

He was good at highlighting the questions that drifted through her mind. How did she do what she did? And, more importantly, how could she possibly explain it? "I don't think it was me, to be honest. Now just hear me out," she said quickly, as he seemed like he was going interject. Elsa looked down at her hands and carefully considered her words before continuing. "It's almost as if my power acts through me, instead of me controlling it. Like… like there's a separate entity inside of me that seeks to change the world depending on my mood, my thoughts."

It was then she realized what she was saying and shook her head. "I'm sorry, that doesn't make any sense."

Elsa glanced at Aaron to see if he thought she was nuts, but he was merely smiling. "Actually, that kind of does," he replied. Looking at his own hand, he said, "Whenever I release my fire, I can bend and shape it to my will, but it always seems to flow in whatever way comes most natural to it. It still obeys my commands, but always by its own rules."

He fell silent and continued to stare at his hand pensively before blinking a few times and looking around. "Anyway, where does that lead?" he asked, gesturing to the door at the far side of the room.

"Out to the balcony."

"Do you mind if I go look?"

"Not at all. Be my guest."

However, as he crossed the room to the door, Elsa remained where she was, watching him go. She just couldn't seem to figure him out. Here he was, a man who'd appeared out of the wilderness today of all days, and he just so happened to possess the ability to manipulated heat and flame. And he was constantly amazed by what she could do. Every room she'd shown him, from the dining room to the bed rooms he'd constantly been in awe of it all and offered several compliments. To be honest, it was quite flattering.

But by far the most perplexing part about him was the fact that he just looked so… ordinary. With brunet hair and a charming smile, he could have strolled down the street and no one would be the wiser. Everyone would have just thought that he was another man going about his business. Even his clothes were unassuming, just a simple tunic and pants fashioned from some sort of animal hide that she assumed he'd made himself. At the very least she'd expected his eyes to be different, but they were simply a warm shade of amber. And, she had admit, they were quite nice to gaze into.

Nothing about his appearance would have told one that he was actually a sorcerer. But then, no one had ever guessed her secret either, and she had looked much more the part than Aaron when she lived in Arendelle. No one, including Anna…

Anna. God, she hoped her sister was alright. Safe down in Arendelle. The last thing she remembered of that place was her sister's voice crying out after her as she'd run across the fjord. But she would be safe, as long as she stayed down there and Elsa stayed here, far away so that neither she nor her powers could harm Anna. Just so long as-

"Wow! Elsa, have you seen this view?!"

Aaron's voice jarred Elsa from her thoughts and she turned to see him leaning against the railing of the balcony, looking out over the wintery landscape. As she watched, he looked over his shoulder and gestured for her to join him. "I've seen some impressive views up here, but few like this!"

Giving into a smile, she said, "Alright, I'm coming!" and crossed the room to stand next to her.

And she had to admit, it was an impressive sight. The North Mountain stood alone amongst the mountains as the other peaks arrayed themselves neatly from north to south, creating a natural wall against the sea. Meanwhile, to the south the other peaks formed a neat row, creating a large valley that came right up to the North Mountain. And it was all covered in snow as far as the eye could see. _That's troubling,_ Elsa thought. _My powers reach farther than I thought._

Quickly wiping such thoughts from her mind, she turned to look at Aaron and found that he was giving her a ponderous look. Feeling slightly self-conscious, she nervously brushed her hair back. "What?"

Smirking, he turned his attention back to the view and said, "Nothing. I was just wondering what brings a girl like you to a place like this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, clearly you didn't grow up in the mountains." He looked her up and down as he spoke. "I'd guess you grew up in Arendelle."

Elsa blinked in surprise. "You can tell that?"

That got a short laugh. "Well, when you've spent your entire life living in the mountains, you learn to recognize others who also have. And there's nowhere else close enough for you to have come from. So am I right?"

He had such a smug grin that she couldn't help but roll her eyes and smiled back. "Yes, you're right. I grew up and lived in Arendelle."

Still leaning on the rail, he shifted to face her and said, "Never been there myself, but I've heard it's a nice city. What did you do there?"

That seemed to have an obvious answer until she remembered their earlier conversation. _He still has no idea that I'm the queen. Or at least, I Was the queen,_ she thought to herself. _But then, how could he, if he's never even been to Arendelle?_

Realizing that he was waiting for an answer, she looked away and tried to come up with whatever she could think of. "My… father worked in the castle, and he got me a job there as well, as a… maid." They'd had maids, right?

This seemed to be good enough for Aaron as he didn't press the issue. She didn't know why she'd lied, but it felt nice to just have a normal conversation with someone who wasn't constantly bowing or saying 'your majesty' this or 'your highness' that. It was oddly… refreshing.

"So, why'd you leave?"

"What?" She hadn't been paying attention so the question had just sailed past her.

To his credit, Aaron's smile didn't falter as he repeated the question. "Why did you leave?"

The wind began to blow almost instantly in response as Elsa gripped the rail tightly and tried to hide the tears welling in her eyes as the events of the previous night came rushing back. The party, the chase, and, worst of all, the fear. She could feel the ice shifting beneath her in response to her emotions and quickly tried to calm herself.

Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Aaron's worried expression. "Hey, I'm sorry," he said, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I didn't mean to upset you. I was just curious, is all."

"No, it's alright," she replied, waving his hand away. "It's still a little fresh." Wiping any residual tears and closing her eyes, she quickly centered herself and let her emotions calm. As she did this she could feel the ice resettle and the wind died away. Reopening her eyes, she gave Aaron a solemn look. "It's just that I don't think I'm ready to talk about it yet."

He gave her a weak smile but his were still filled with guilt at upsetting her. "Again, sorry. Note to self, Arendelle equals touchy subject."

Managing a small laugh, Elsa returned the smile. But it was probably best if they switched the subject to him. "So. You say you've lived in the mountains your entire life."

"Oh, me? Yeah." Aaron adopted an almost bored expression while talking about himself. "I've been all over these hills," he said, gesturing to the surrounding landscape.

"And do you live near here?"

He nodded. "That's right. In fact, we might just be able to see my home from here if you like."

"Really?" Elsa turned to look at the distant mountains. "Where is it?"

Standing up straight, Aaron placed his hands on Elsa's shoulders and slowly turned her so she was facing to the south. He then stood next to her and placed his face next to hers and pointed toward a nearby pair of peaks.

"You see those mountains there?"

"Yes."

"Well, that gap in between them is what is known as the Northern Pass. It's one of the only ways over the divide." He then pointed to a farther mountain, just beyond the other two. "And that one there is known as Winter's Peak. I live near the base of it."

"Really? It's a lot closer than I would have thought."

"Eh, it's about twenty miles as the crow flies, though obviously a lot farther if you're traveling on foot."

"Interesting." However, if Elsa was being completely honest with herself, she wasn't really listening to the conversation. Instead, all she could do was marvel at how warm his skin was. She'd noticed it before when she'd held his hand and now, even though they weren't actually touching, he was still close enough so that she could feel the heat radiating off of him. And if she was being even more honest, she quite liked how it felt against her cool skin.

Drawing back, Aaron once more resumed leaning against the railing. "Yeah, I've got a nice little cabin there that I built. It's small but it suits my needs." Luckily, he didn't seem to notice that she was slightly blushing from their close proximity.

Electing to pretend as though nothing had happened, she said, "I'd love to see it someday."

Giving a small snort, Aaron said, "Yeah. Well good luck with that."

"What do you mean?" Did he not want her to see his home?

"Well, if you look back at the pass, you'll notice it's completely blocked with snow, and while I'm sure I could burn us a path, I'd rather not trigger an avalanche and bury us both. So, at least for the near future, it looks like I'm stuck on this side of the divide."

"Oh." She couldn't help but feel slightly guilty about that. After all, all this snow in the heart of summer was probably her fault in some way. Feeling like she should offer some sort of condolence she said, "That's unfortunate."

Aaron merely shrugged. "Eh. If it weren't for this snow I'd have passed back over the mountains and we probably never would have met, and That would have been unfortunate." Elsa smiled at this. She found it oddly pleasing that he'd rather have met her than whatever he'd originally planned. "Also," he continued, "I have other ways to cross the mountains."

"Really? How?" She couldn't see any other feasible means from here and gave him an inquisitive look.

However, he just grinned and said, "Your powers allow you to create marvelous works of architecture. Mine allow me to do other things."

She was going to offer a retort when she noticed how dark it was getting. The sun must already be setting and she started to become aware of the fact that she hadn't slept much over the past day. Stifling a yawn, she turned back towards the doors. "Well, it's getting dark, so we probably head inside before it gets cold."

Laughing, Aaron stood and stretched. "As though the cold ever bothered either one of us." However, he still followed her inside, pausing to close the doors behind them.

As they crossed the ballroom to the other part of the palace, Elsa realized she couldn't think of anything to say, so simply decided to go with small talk. "So, do you live by yourself or with others beyond the divide?"

"Naw, it's just me. Actually, to my knowledge I'm one of the only people who lives east of the North Mountain. Just me and a handful of wolves and caribou."

"Aren't you at all afraid of the wolves?"

He gave her a reproachful look. "Of course not. My fire is more than enough to defend myself, and the wolves never bothered me anyway. They won't harm humans unless there's nothing else to be had, so they're ultimately just misunderstood."

By then they'd reached the hall that lead to the other rooms of the palace and Elsa felt another yawn coming on. "Well, I don't know about you, but I could use some sleep. Remember, your room is three doors down on the left. Are you sure you're comfortable sleeping on the floor? I could easily conjure you a bed."

"It's fine," he replied. "I have my bedroll. And besides, even if you did make me a bed, I'd probably just melt through it by morning."

"Alright. Well, in that case, I'll see you in the morning."

"Very well. Good night, Elsa."

"Good night, Aaron."

He was about to continue down the hall when something seemed to occur to him and he turned back to face her. "Oh, and Elsa?"

She gave him a confused look. "Yes?"

He gave her a long, steady look before saying, "Thank you for letting me stay here."

"Oh." She blinked, realizing that was not what she was expecting. "You're welcome."

He gave her a warm smile before turning and walking away. Elsa was going to go into her room but lingered in the doorway to watch him go. She couldn't help but smile before stepping inside and closing the doors.

It'd been a strange couple of days, and there was no telling what was in store for her in the near future, but as she thought about it, she was truly grateful that Aaron was here.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The night sky was alive with light as the Aurora Borealis danced across it. With waves of light that cascaded from horizon to horizon and shifted through all the colors of the spectrum, it was one of the most wondrous sights in all the world. And every time Aaron saw it, he couldn't help but marvel at its beauty.

Sitting cross-legged out on the balcony and gazing up at the sky, he must have seen it dozens of times throughout his life but never tired of watching it. There was just something about its rippling and swaying movement that he found so soothing. He enjoyed watching so much that he'd always considered it the most spectacular thing he'd ever seen since when he'd first laid eyes on it as a small boy. But that before today.

Now he wasn't sure which he considered more beautiful, the marvelous structure around him or the woman who had created it. On the one hand, however, he'd seen the palaces wonders and had been told its secrets, so he felt he knew something about. He could not say the same thing about Elsa.

Lowering his eyes and looking out at the distant mountains, Aaron shook his head. Elsa. It felt like he'd learned so much and yet so little about her in the short time that they'd been acquainted. Here was this beautiful young woman who'd come up from the city to the mountains and, wouldn't you know it, had powers very similar to his, but instead of heat and flame like him she had cold and frost.

_Fire and ice,_ he thought with a wry smile. _How poetic_.

Unlike him, however, she seemed to have very limited control over her abilities and was almost afraid of them half the time. As though anyone who came near her was instantly in danger. Of course, there had once been a time when he too had been afraid of his fire and what it could do. But that was a long time ago. He couldn't imagine what her life would have been like if she too possessed fire. While ice had the ability to create and preserve, fire by its own nature could only destroy. Now there was a happy thought.

Trying to get his mind into smoother waters, Aaron returned his thoughts to Elsa. They were very similar in so many ways, but he knew absolutely nothing about her past other than she was from Arendelle. Whenever he asked her about it she grew distant and only offered vague details, so he decided not to push it. All he could piece together was that she'd lived in or near the castle and that her parents weren't around often. That wasn't much to go off of.

With a sigh he rubbed his hand across his face. She truly was perplexing, and the more he thought about it the more befuddled he became, so it was time to focus on something else. Giving the dancing lights above another glance, he turned his attention back to the small stone he was clutching in his right hand.

A little over an inch long and perfectly smooth, it almost looked like it was made out of solid glass, except whereas glass was clear, this appeared to be filled with fire. The stone's color shifted and flowed much like the auroras above, cascading in waves of amber and crimson. While the edges were slightly transparent the core itself remained opaque and impenetrable to the eye, and at times Aaron felt as though he was gazing into an actual fire. And for all intents and purposes it was a real fire. It gave off heat and light like any other flame and was made from fire. Now if only it didn't take him weeks to create a stone this size.

"You couldn't sleep either?"

Elsa's voice was so sudden and unexpected that he actually dropped the stone and had to catch it again before it bounced off the edge of the balcony. Breathing a sigh of relief, he looked over his shoulder to where Elsa was.

She stood in the doorway with one hand resting on one of the doors, partially illuminated from the light of the sky, in what appeared to be a sleek nightgown undoubtable made of ice. Her feet were now barefoot and her hair was undone from its braid, though she still let it cascade over her shoulder in a silken waterfall. Despite the changes to her appearances, he had to admit that she was still extremely attractive. Then, as her eyes fell onto his back, he became acutely aware that he'd neglected to put on his tunic and was bare-chested.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," she said, quietly passing him and resting her back against the railing. Was it just lighting, or was she blushing slightly?

"What?" he asked, feigning ignorance. "You didn't startle me."

"Oh?" Her eyes turned quizzical. "Then why did you jump when I spoke?"

"Well obviously I meant to do that."

With a short laugh, she replied, "Of course. What was I thinking?" Glancing at his hand holding the stone, she asked, "So why are you up?"

Smirking, Aaron looked up at the vibrant display above. "I can never sleep while the sky's awake." He returned his attention to Elsa, but was surprised to see that she had a very somber expression. "What?"

Shaking her head, she too looked up at the sky. "It's just that someone else said something similar to me a very long time ago."

Seeing an opportunity into her past, Aaron quickly took advantage of it. "Really? Who?"

Her eyes followed the shifting waves of color as she merely said, "My sister."

Sister? "I didn't know that you had a sister. Older or younger?"

"Younger."

"What's she like?"

Elsa's eyes now turned distant as she smiled. "She's always so enthusiastic, always so glad to see people. I've never seen anyone else so happy to be alive. I think you'd like her," she added, looking back down at him.

"I don't know. Chipper people always seem to wear me out," he replied with a grin. "So are you close?"

She stared at him until he started to think that she hadn't understood him when she sighed and her eyes dropped. "We were."

Adopting a concerned expression, he asked, "What do you mean?"

"We you used to be so close, long ago." Elsa's eyes seemed to glaze over as she relived distant memories. "We used to play in the snow and go skating on the ice." A small smile alighted upon her lips. "In fact, we even used to make snowmen together."

Her expression was so content at that moment that he was almost ready to leave her thoughts, but Aaron couldn't resist the opportunity to learn just a little more about her. "What happened?"

He instantly regretted speaking when her joy quickly changed to fear and sorrow as she drew her arms tightly around her and looked away. "Things changed," she said in a hoarse voice.

After trying to offer an apology and only getting a slight sniffle in response, Aaron fell silent for a few minutes. He'd come so close to actually learning something about her past, coaxing her to open up, but the second he started to pry she snapped shut again. To say it was frustrating seemed like a serious understatement. However, the subject seemed to be quite sensitive so he elected simply to drop it for now and instead returned his attention to the flaming stone.

He was slowly rotating it between his fingers when Elsa spoke again. "What is that?"

Looking up and seeing that she was watching him again, he gestured at it with his other hand, he asked, "What, this? It's what I like to call a flame shard."

Her expression became confused. "A what?"

"A flame shard. It's basically an amalgamation of fire into physical form." When seeing that his choice of words was only making her more confused, he asked, "Do you know how a pearl forms?"

"Yes. I believe they supposedly form in the bellies of oysters through some sort of layering over time."

"Well, it's basically the same principle." He held the stone up for her to see better. "I just add layers to it and it slowly grows."

This didn't seem to help much as she still looked confused. "Sure, but how are you converting fire into something physical?"

"Ah. Well, to be honest I don't really understand it myself. But somehow, if I apply enough flame and pressure reinforced by will, I can compress it down into a physical form. Would you like to see how?"

Her eyes lit up at that and she moved closer. "I'd love too."

"Alright. Just don't… don't get to close. It's going to get hot." Placing the shard aside, he held both hands out in front of him and took several deep breaths. As he did, he closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind of all thought. Of Elsa, of the aurora, of anything. Then, when his mind was sufficiently calm, he allowed heat to travel from his heart, along his arms and to pool into his hands.

When Aaron opened his eyes his hands were slowly starting to glow bright orange from all the stored energy and the air around them began to crackle with heat. He then cupped them together and finally released the stored energy. Twin torrents of flame erupted from his palms, nearly blasting his hands aside before quickly forming into a swirling vortex of fire between his hands. While adding more and more fire, he slowly forced it smaller and smaller until he could close his hands around it.

Sweat began to build on Aaron's brow and his breathing started to quicken as he poured more fire into the vortex and compressed it further and further. Minutes passed as his arms began to shake from exertion and his hands started to glow white, but he continued to add more and more heat until he could bear the strain no longer. Then, just before he felt he would start to lose control, he cut the fire and his palms collapsed together, causing a brief spurt of flame to splay out in all directions.

After allowing his hands to cool slightly, he slowly opened his hands. There, resting on his palm, was a perfectly round sphere around a centimeter across. It initially blazed white hot but gradually receded in color until it looked much like the other stone. Plucking it up with his other hand, Aaron grinned and turned to hand it to Elsa, who, to his shock, was kneeling right next to him. He'd been so focused on the task at hand that he hadn't even noticed her move.

"Here," he said between breaths. "For… for you."

She held out her hand and he dropped it onto her palm. Elsa jerked back slightly when it touched as though she expected it to be hot. But when it didn't burn her she held it up for closer inspection and couldn't help but smile. Her eyes shifted from it to look at him. "That was incredible."

Waving her off, he replied, "T'was nothing. I… just… I just need a minute." And with that he flopped backwards, causing Elsa to laugh. With a hand over his pounding heart, he couldn't help but grin. It'd been a long time since he'd exerted himself that much and it felt good to get the blood pumping.

Glancing over at Elsa, he saw that she was once more enraptured by the glowing orb in her hand. "Like it?" he asked.

Her gaze remained firmly on the shard as she replied, "It's beautiful. And also so warm." Closing her hand around it and clutching it to her chest, she gave him a radiant smile. "Thank you."

He once more waved her off as he attempted to sit up. "No problem. Give me a few days to recover and I'll make you another one." She once more began to laugh and continued to do so as he failed to rise yet again. After the third attempt failed he simply elected to remain where he was and simply stare up at the night sky.

Elsa's laughter died off after a moment and silence fell over the night. He then heard a quiet shuffling and turned his head to see that Elsa was now laying down beside him and was also looking up at the aurora. As the soft lights played across her satin skin and reflected in her wondrous eyes she said, "It is beautiful, isn't it?"

He continued to watch her for a moment before looking back at the sky and smiling. "Yes. Yes it is."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Elsa awoke the next morning to an enticing aroma. Sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she groggily looked around her room. It was still early and the sun was just coming over the mountains outside, or at least from what she could see from her window. As it turned out, the downy snow she'd filled her pillows and mattress from had been like lying on a cloud and she'd slept soundly after the aurora had disappeared.

Slipping off her bed, she slowly made her way over to a tall mirror she'd built into the wall. Made from a single sheet of flawless ice, it reflected the world perfectly, but gave everything a cerulean tint. She couldn't help but laugh when she saw her disheveled appearance and was about to start combing her fingers through her hair when she had a better idea. Looking at her hand and giving it a wave, she smiled as an icy brush materialized in her hand.

Absentmindedly brushing her hair and humming to herself quietly, Elsa went and stood by the window, looking out at the world beyond. It hadn't snowed since the storm two nights ago but the snow was, for the most part, undisturbed, creating a seamless blanket across the mountains. Dazzling in the morning sun, it was a breathtaking sight. And just as she began to wonder why she couldn't see any animals in sight, a small thrush fluttered into view and alighted upon a nearby rock. It hopped around for a bit before settling and sang a short, melodious song. When no response came it once more fluttered into the air and flew off into the sky.

Elsa glanced over her shoulder to the mirror again and saw that her hair was sufficiently combed, so she waved her hand again, causing the brush to dissolve back into nothingness. Smirking at the incredible sight- she was still impressed by the slightest things her powers could do, now that she let them roam free- she quickly set about weaving her hair back into its braid. Once that was done she cast both her hands downward and watched as her nightgown morphed back into her dress and cape. Giving herself a once over in the mirror and a satisfied nod, she then strode towards the door, intent on finding the source of that delectable smell.

It didn't take long for her nose to determine that it was emanating from the dining room. Pushing the door open slightly she looked inside. She'd made it a semicircular room about half the size of the ballroom with a long, ornate table and chairs situated at its center. A handful of cabinets lined each of the side walls, though she'd never actually put anything in them. The most interesting part of the room, however, was the fact that the entire back wall was a long window, allowing the occupants to look out at the mountains as they dined.

Standing next to the table in the middle of the room was Aaron. He had his back to the door, so he hadn't noticed her open it. Resting on his left hand, which was glowing cherry red, was a small sizzling skillet while he appeared to be reading a small book in his other hand. As she watched, he turned his attention from the book to the skillet, gave it a satisfactory nod and returned to the book.

In an effort not to startle him like she had the previous night, she opened the door fully and knocked.

He turned to the sound and smiled when he saw her. "Good morning, Elsa. You're just in time for breakfast."

"Good morning," she replied as she walked across the room to join him. "I didn't know you knew how to cook."

Grinning, he looked at the contents of his left hand. "Yeah, something I've picked up on over the years. I never leave home without my skillet and spices."

She gave him an incredulous look. "Seriously? You always carry a skillet with you?"

"Well, it's either that or cook with my bare hands, and that tends to be a messy affair."

His smirk was so confident that she decided not to question it. "So what are you making?" she asked instead, peering into the contents of the skillet.

"Wild hare with an assortment of vegetables. Have you ever had hare?"

To be honest, she wasn't sure. She'd always eaten her meals alone in her room back in Arendelle and had rarely asked what dishes the cooks made. So, she merely shrugged and replied, "Not that I know of."

"Well, then you're in for a treat. And perfect timing, too," he replied as his hand began to dull back to its normal color and the food ceased to sizzle. "I was just about to come and wake you." His face fell as he looked at the table. "And it occurs to me that I don't actually have any plates."

Smiling, Elsa waved her hand and a pair of plates materialized atop the table, complete with sets of silverware. "Yes you do."

"Wow." Turning back to Elsa, he gave her a smile. "You're handy."

"Mm. A girl always dreams of hearing those words."

Aaron laughed as he looked back to the food and said, "I don't suppose you happen to have a spatula as well, by any chance."

"Here." She'd already guessed his next question and had one in hand, waiting for him to ask.

"Thanks. Now we can eat." He distributed the food between the two plates before setting the skillet aside and pulling out a chair for Elsa.

"Thank you," she said graciously, sweeping her cape aside and sitting so that he could push her back in. He then sat next to her but didn't begin to eat his food until Elsa took a bite. Cutting off a piece and lightly placing it in her mouth, she was surprised by how warm and succulent it was. With an appetizingly robust flavor and enjoyable texture, it was better than most meals she'd been served as a queen back in Arendelle. Taking the time to chew slowly, she swallowed and turned to Aaron. "Wow! That's delicious! What did you put on it?"

He smiled as he began to cut up his own meat. "Oh, nothing fancy. Just a common assortment of spices. The trick is in how you cook it. See, if you cook it too hot you burn out the juices, but if it's too cold then it doesn't cook evenly."

"Spices?" she asked between bites. "How do you get those up here?"

Shrugging, he replied, "You just need to know where to find them and be willing to pay good money. Which I am, in order to make my food enjoyable. I once heard it said that you could live forever off of the simplest of foods, so long as you had an assortment of spices."

"Really? Who said that?"

Aaron's face seemed to harden and his voice became cool. "My father."

It occurred to Elsa that she knew nothing of Aaron's family, but judging from his expression this was not the time to ask about it. She was searching for something to change the topic to when she noticed the book he'd been reading. It was lying face down on the table beside him, so she couldn't make out the title. The pages were slightly yellowed and the spine was well worn, as though it had been read several times.

"What book are you reading?" she asked, hoping his mood would lift.

His eyes lit up and he smiled as he glanced at the tattered book. "Romeo and Juliet." Looking at her, he asked, "Have you read it?"

Elsa nodded. It had been in the castle's library and she'd read just about every book in there over the years, from mathematics to history to the works of Shakespeare. "I have. What do you think?"

"To be honest, it's one of my favorites. I've managed to collect a handful of books, but I must have read this one at least a dozen times. I've always enjoyed Shakespeare's work. And." Aaron paused and glanced around as though he was pretending to look for eavesdroppers. When he spoke again he did so in a hushed tone as he said, "Don't tell anyone this, but I'm actually a bit of a romantic."

"Really?" Elsa asked, giggling. "You?"

"You sound surprised," he replied, adopting a dashing smile. "I am the embodiment of fire, after all, which is usually represented by the color red. And what is red, if not the color of passion?" He puffed out his chest as he said this and tried to look imposing.

Elsa laughed again as they started talking about the book. About how they both found the lovers endearing and the inherent beauty of their tragic ending. Aaron tried to convince her that it was the best thing Shakespeare'd ever written, but then she countered with the likes of Hamlet and Macbeth and they continued back and forth.

As they conversed Elsa found it easier and easier to speak with Aaron. He just seemed to have this way of knowing what she was thinking before she said it. As though he was thinking the exact same thing. And there was just something about his confident personality and enigmatic way of talking that she couldn't help but find endearing, and before she knew it an hour had passed, their plates were clean he had her laughing uncontrollably as he played out a mocking rendition of a death scene.

"No! Wait! Bluhh," he said, feigning to die in his chair. He only stirred when she gave him a fake applause and turned to her to give a short bow. "Thank you, thank you."

Wiping away a joyful tear, Elsa shook her head and looked at their plates. "Well, I supposed we should clean up."

She started to reach out for her plate, but Aaron's beat her to it. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it," he said, staking the dishes inside his skillet.

"Really? Are you sure? You did cook after all."

"It's fine, it'll take me all of two seconds. Why don't you go wait for me outside?"

Her face grew puzzled. "Why?"

Standing from his chair and picking up the dishes he turned to her. "Because you asked me to help you learn to control your powers and I think it's time we got on that. But I'd rather do that somewhere where I don't have to worry about accidently melting this place to the ground."

"Oh. Good idea." Also rising to her feet, she walked to the door, pausing to look back at him. "Shall I wait for you by the bridge?"

"Sounds good," he replied as he began to incinerate the clinging grease from the dishes.

Turning and walking down the hall towards the stairs, Elsa couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement in her stomach. Finally she was going to learn to truly control her frost, and for the first time in forever she wouldn't have to fear it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The sun was two thirds of the way to its apex in the sky as Elsa stood patiently waiting in the doorway to her palace. She had her hands lightly clasped together in front of her as she gazed out across the chasm. There, hoping amongst snow, was the thrush she'd spied earlier that morning, or at least one that looked very much like it. Only this time it wasn't alone.

A second one had joined it and the two seemed to be trying to out sing one another. One would cheap a short song, then the other would reply with another and the two just continued to whistle at one another. Whatever the purpose of their engagement was, it did make for marvelous music.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Aaron's footsteps approaching behind her. Turning, she was going to tease him for being late but could only gawk when she saw what he wearing.

He'd forgone his usual tunic and was instead wearing what appeared to be a jet-black leather chestpiece. While it left his arms bare, she had to admit that was more what she'd expect a pyromancer to wear. His pants and shoes had been exchanged for a matching pair of leggings and boots as well. As she had last night, she couldn't help but notice that the rugged mountain life style seemed to suit him, judging from the muscles in his arms.

Aaron noticed her incredulous stare, paused to look down at himself and looked back up at her. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that you look very stylish."

"Yeah, well it's the only other clothes I've got."

"What's wrong with your tunic?" she asked, trying not to notice how thick his biceps were.

"Well, when I do a lot of work with my powers, anything else I wear has this nasty habit of, you know, catching on fire." He gestured to his attire. "This doesn't do that quite so much."

"So why don't you wear it all the time? It's a good look."

It was his turn to look skeptical. "And how would I explain that to someone on a day like today? 'Oh, hi. Yeah, I have the power to control fire, so the cold doesn't bother me.' The tunic at least allows for me to blend in slightly."

Elsa was going to point out that even that didn't help much but decided that she'd teased him enough for now. Instead she asked, "So where are we going?"

"It's not far," he replied, walking across the bridge. "Just around the bend I remember there being a nice ridge that we can work on."

Sure enough, there a broad ridge that overlooked the valleys below and offered plenty of space. Looking at the surrounding landscape, Elsa asked, "So how do you want to begin?"

"I thought I'd begin with a small demonstration of my power," he answered as he walked to the center of the ridge. "I've already gotten a sample of yours via your ice palace, so it's high time you saw what I can do."

"Alright." Elsa couldn't repress a twinge of excitement. For the first ever she was going to see someone else's abilities at work. He'd shown her bits and pieces last night and this morning but now it seemed he was ready to reveal his true talents.

"You may want to stand back a little," he said as both of his hands ignited. Elsa took a few uncertain steps backwards as Aaron closed his eyes and the flames intensified. The heat gradually began to rise until his eyes suddenly snapped open. Only they weren't his eyes anymore. She'd grown used to their amber tones and was shocked to see they were now completely ablaze, forming molten pools of flames. All color had been replaced by swirling orange and crimson as he glanced at her. "A little farther than that." The moment she complied, he began.

The fire around his hands suddenly exploded outward in a deafening explosion and Elsa couldn't help but cover her ears. Rather than receding, however, the flames only grew and began to swirl around Aaron until they formed a towering inferno almost as tall as her palace. The heat coming off of it was stifling and the howling it created was earsplitting as she peered at the base of the cyclone. There she could just make out Aaron through the firestorm. His arms were outstretched to either side and were giving off massive snakes of fire that fed into the swirling tornado. As she watched he brought both fists above his head and smashed them into the ground.

The second he made contact with the earth the firestorm erupted in all directions in a wall of fire. It was all she could do to throw up her arms before it was upon her, but the flames dissipated and vanished just before they reached her.

Aaron was crouching in the center of the smoking ring with one hand on the ground and his head down. When he looked up, however, Elsa was relieved to see that his eyes had returned to their normal selves. Standing up, he brushed off his hands and said, "And that's just a sample of what you can do with control."

"Wow," Elsa exclaimed. "That was incredible."

He gave her a small bow and smiled. "Thanks. It's just what I do." Then his face grew serious. "Now, to the task at hand. We're going to do some exercises to determine what exactly your powers are capable of. However, before we can start I need you to promise that you'll do whatever I ask."

She nodded in response. It seemed a reasonable enough request.

"Alright, let us begin. Attack me," he said.

Elsa blanched in response. "What?"

"Hurl snow at me, try and freeze me, anything," he replied. "Just attack me with your powers. I want to see what you can do."

Feeling very doubtful of the situation, she formed a small snowball and launched it at him. In response he sighed heavily and batted it out of the air with his hand. "No, no. I said attack me, not throw snowballs."

Clutching her hands together, Elsa said nervously, "I don't think I can. I don't want to hurt you."

Aaron tilted his head back in exasperation and said, "Elsa, you're not going to hurt me. Now would you please just attack me already?"

"O-okay." Drawing upon her powers she threw a blanket of frost at him, but before it could reach him he threw up his hand and a wave of fire intercepted it.

His expression was less irritated when he spoke. "Better. Now try something a little stronger."

She felt slightly more confident now that she knew he would defend himself, this time sending a larger vale of ice and tried to envelope him with it. Again his hand came up and again he blocked all of it with fire. At least now he was smiling. Deciding to try something a little trickier, she made a show of grow a vast cloud of snow above her but secretly formed a second one behind him and launched both simultaneously. She thought for sure he was done for as the flames once more emerged to engulf the frontal attack but was surprised when they arced around to melt the second one as well before it could touch him. How did he do that?

They continued like this for a while, with Elsa trying all manner of attacks and Aaron blasting it all away with his fire. She tried raining ice down on him from above but he conjured a cloud of flames. When that didn't work she tried to ensnare him by freezing his feet from below, only to have him burn all the ground around him. She even went so far as to summon ice spikes all around him and it looked like she had him when he exploded fire in all directions and obliterated them all at once.

After trying multiple combinations of these tactics and others and failing to touch Aaron once she felt like she was running out of options. It was obvious he had a much better understanding of his powers than she did and seemed able to anticipate most of her moves before she herself had thought of them, so she wasn't going to be able to outsmart him.

That only really left one option, and that was brute strength. One concentrated attack in an effort to penetrate his defenses.

Drawing on all her power, she launched a massive cloud of frost but continued to fuel it even after it was met with fire. Aaron responded by doing the exact same thing as both waves surged back and forth in an effort to overpower one another. The walls of frost and flame seemed to be too equally matched for one to best the other until Elsa, gritting her teeth in concentration, fired one final push that managed to break through the center of the fire and strike Aaron in the chest. He staggered back several steps and fell to one knee, grasping where she'd struck him.

Elation quickly turned into horror when Elsa realized what she'd done. "Oh no! Aaron?! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!" she cried as she started to run towards him. _It's just like with Anna all over again!_ However, she was brought up short when she realized he was laughing.

Looking up, he gave her an enormous smile. "Well done, Elsa! That was a hell of a shot!" Stumbling to his feet and shivering slightly, he muttered, "So this is what it like feels like to be cold."

Elsa's hands covered her mouth as she stared at him. "Oh, Aaron. I'm so sorry."

His smile disappeared as quickly as it had come as he saw her horrified expression. "No, it's fine. Really. Watch." He closed his eyes and all of his skin glowed bright red for several seconds. After it had returned to its normal color he reopened his eyes and said, "See? All better."

She barely heard his words as she tried to fight back distant memories. The horrors of that night were coming back to haunt her as snow began to fall from the sky and the wind picked up.

"Elsa?"

Closing her eyes and pressing her hands to her forehead, she tried to block out the world. _Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel!_

"Elsa?!"

_Have to fight it. Control it. Don't feel, don't feel!_

"ELSA!"

Aaron's voice was so loud that she jumped in response. Opening her eyes she saw that he was standing right next to her looking extremely concerned. Jerking back, she yelled, "No! Get away from me!"

Before she could turn to run, however, he firmly grasped both of her shoulders and forced her to face him. "Elsa, it's fine. Just calm down"

They both stood there in the swirling snow for several minutes before she finally managed to start relaxing again. The snow began to abate as she tried to talk. "I'm sorry. I thought I… I thought…"

Sighing and shaking his head, Aaron smiled. "It's like I said. You could never hurt me."

She also started to smile tentatively as well but stopped as she remembered something important. "But what about everyone else? My powers are a danger to everyone I meet!"

Aaron simply scoffed at that. "How do you think I felt?"

…"What do you mean?"

He released her shoulders and allowed his arms to fall to his sides. "To have ice is one thing, but my powers are inherently dangerous. While you can build marvelous things like your palace, I can do little but burn the world. For a while I was afraid of anyone I encountered, for fear of harming them. But, after slowly learning control, I learned that fire doesn't always have to burn."

The snow had completely stopped now as she grew puzzled. "What do you mean? Fire's always hot. Right?"

He cocked his head to one side and gave her a long look before saying, "I want to show you something."

Aaron held his hand out in front of him and a solitary orange flame appeared, hovering above his palm. He then looked at Elsa and said, "Go ahead. Touch it." When she gave him a skeptical look, he added, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

Her eyes filled with trepidation as she looked at the shifting fire in front of her. Did she really trust a man she'd only met recently and had nearly frozen enough to place her hand in fire? It only took one glance at his face for her to have her answer. Yes, she trusted him.

Taking a deep breath, she lifted her slightly trembling hand and reached slowly toward it. After hesitating for a second she allowed her hand to be engulfed by the fire. But, to her surprise, it didn't hurt at all. Instead, it was pleasantly warm to the touch. In fact the flames almost gave off a tickling sensation as they twirled around her fingers.

Staring deep into the fire, she whispered, "How are you doing this?"

Aaron's voice was soft as he replied, "As you can see, fire doesn't always have to burn." His other hand then gently took hers and the flames extinguished. "Just as ice doesn't always have to freeze."

She gazed down at their interlocking hands and instantly understood the point he was trying to make. Here she was, touching something for the first time since being a child and not having it freeze solid. And if she could touch him without freezing, then perhaps she could learn to touch other things as well. Of course, it helped that his skin naturally burned so hot. His thumb began to massage the back of her hand in slow circles and she couldn't help but smile.

It was then that she became aware that he was staring at her intently, but when she met his gaze she found that she couldn't look away. His eyes were just so deep and earnest. And was it just her, or did the amber in them seem to almost… smolder? Like a bed of shimmering coal surrounding an endless void for her to dive into.

She then also noticed just how close together they were. While still holding hands they'd inadvertently drifted closer to one another and his face now seemed to be only a few inches from hers. If he just leaned forward ever so slightly she could…

Before she could act, however, Aaron's eyes seemed to dim slightly and he took a step back, releasing her hand in the process. Casting his gaze aside he cleared his throat and absentmindedly rubbed the back of his neck. She tried to hide her frustration by stroking her braid and looking away.

_What's the matter with me?_ Elsa thought to herself as she nervously brushed her hair back. _We just met! And he's a commoner while I'm a queen… shouldn't that make a difference?_ However, her stomach seemed to disagree with her as it gave a slight flutter when she glanced at him again.

_Well, so what if I'm a queen. It's not like I'm still one anymore anyway. And Aaron wouldn't care even if I was a queen… would he?_

Aaron's voice cut across her thoughts before she could continue. "So." She looked up at him but his eyes were fixed firmly on a rock a few feet away. "Why don't we, um… try a few more exercises?"

"Oh. Okay." His voice had sounded almost disappointed to her.

They then spent the rest of the day practicing with their powers again, but Aaron's heart no longer seemed to be in it. Fire and ice continued to intermingle and combat one another but the magic was lost.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Aaron stood with his hands clasped behind him as he stared deeply into the setting sun, which had just begun to brush against the horizon. It glowed in a fierce crimson blaze as it sent its dying rays in a vain effort to pierce the thick blanket of clouds overhead, making them appear as though they were made of fire. There would be no aurora tonight.

The palace itself gleamed brightly around him as it caught the sun's bloody light. However, it had ceased to be the fusion of blues he'd grown accustomed to. Instead it now glowed a strong red-violet in all but the thickest pieces of ice, which resonated with a deep purple.

The events of the day had left him troubled. Something would have to change before they continued. If not, there was a chance that her ice could end up hurting him. Or even kill him.

"That's a lovely view."

Aaron glanced away from the sun and saw Elsa in the ice's reflection. She was standing in the doorway to the dining room and looking at him with a smile. Rather than replying, however, he returned his gaze to the fiery ball in the west.

"Aaron?"

His eyes didn't blink as he considered how best to broach the subject. Honesty was probably going to be the best approach, but that would require him to say some things that could be considered brutally honest and the last thing he wanted to do was to hurt Elsa. But all of this would be for her own good… he hoped.

He heard her turn away but before she could leave he closed his eyes and spoke. "Elsa."

Her footsteps stopped and she responded with a vexed voice. "What?"

Opening his eyes once more he turned to look at her and let her see his stern face. "We need to talk about what happened today."

At that moment the sun dipped behind the mountains, plunging the room into darkness as the walls returned to their blue selves. They both remained quiet as their eyes adjusted to the sudden change.

Elsa's expression grew concerned as she asked, "What about today?"

Gesturing to the chair at the end of the table, Aaron merely said, "Would you like to sit?"

She gave him a puzzled look but complied without question. He then walked around to the other side of the table and stood behind that chair. _Where to begin. _Eventually he decided a direct approach would probably be best. "Elsa, you're afraid of your powers, aren't you?" He already knew the answer but had to hear her say it.

This clearly wasn't what she was expecting to hear, however, as she blinked several times and gave him a confused look. "What?"

"Are you afraid of your powers?" he repeated. "It's a simple question."

Her eyes narrowed slightly at his tone. "Yes, I am."

"Why?"

The confusion quickly returned after he asked that short question. She seemed to be trying to get a grasp on the conversation as she answered, "Because they could hurt people."

Aaron shook his head. "That's not good enough of an answer."

"Oh, and why not?" And there was the anger again. "I'm frightened by things that can hurt me or those I care about. Aren't you?"

"All people are. But your powers are just about as dangerous as I am."

"You're not dangerous."

Crossing his arms, he replied, "Really? Then let me ask you this. Do I frighten you?"

"Well, of course not," she said, smiling.

That smile quickly vanished as his hair and arms suddenly became consumed in fire and his face deepened into a scowl. His eyes burned as brightly as the inferno now swirling around him. "How about now?" he asked with a menacing growl.

Elsa's face paled slightly and her eyes became fearful but she did not answer.

Walking over to the window, Aaron continued speaking. "Elsa, you seem to forget just who I am and what I can do. I am a wielder of FIRE!" The blaze around him intensified as his voice raised and he flung a hand toward the lands outside. "If I so wished I could bring down a storm the likes of which this world has never seen! I could lay waste to all the lands of Arendelle and beyond!"

She looked to be on the verge of tears as she quietly whispered, "Why are you doing this?"

He continued to glare at her for a few seconds before allowing his expression to soften and his flames to extinguish. After letting out a weary sigh he said, "Because, Elsa, just like the powers that you fear so much, I too am dangerous."

Aaron slowly walked back to the far end of the table and lowered himself into a chair. "What you just saw is what would happen if I ever gave in to my rage. Like your fear, my anger stokes my powers and causes them to spiral out of control, potentially harming those around me. Even those I care about." He leaned forward slightly and placed a hand on the table. "I can never afford to give in to anger. Just as you can no longer afford to give into fear."

"Do you think I don't know that?" she snapped in response before closing her eyes and trying to compose herself.

He watched her warily as he said, "Well then I'm sure that you also know that your powers are only growing stronger. And they're already stronger than mine. How much longer do you think that you can just block them out?"

"And what would you propose I do?" she asked, reopening her eyes.

Aaron shrugged. "Accept them. Dive into your abilities and use them to their maximum potential. Tear down this wall of fear you've built in your mind."

Her eyes grew distant as she listened. "I haven't truly accepted my powers since childhood."

"Why not? They're an incredible talent."

She looked down at her lap, her expression distraught. "I know. It's just that…"

Several seconds ticked away as he patiently waited for her to continue. A full minute passed in silence before she seemed to summon the courage and looked back up at him.

"Do you remember when we talked about my sister? I'd said that we used to be so close but had since drifted apart and you'd asked why?" Aaron nodded silently. "Well, this is what happened." She had to close her eyes and take a deep breath before continuing.

"Long ago, when we were both children, we were nearly inseparable. We did everything together. We played in the halls, danced in the snow, swam in the sea. We even skated together." She raised a hand and allowed a single snowflake to form. "To Anna my power was the most beautiful and wondrous thing in all the world. She was constantly asking me to make it snow or to freeze our nanny's tea. And I always enjoyed doing it for her because it made her so happy." Elsa let out a sigh. "Those were the happiest years of my life."

Her voice began to tremble slightly as she continued. "Then, one night, she woke me up because she couldn't sleep and wanted to play. So we snuck downstairs without waking anyone and I turned the room into a winter wonderland. We skated, we threw snowballs, we sled. We even made a snowman that we lovingly named Olaf." A slight smile appeared on her lips at the memory but quickly disappeared as she spoke again. "We then started to play a game where Anna would jump from a snow mound and I would catch her with more snow. But then she started to go faster and faster and I couldn't keep up. Then my foot slipped on the ice and I… I…"

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut and bowed her head, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "And my powers struck Anna."

Silence fell between them as she fought back tears. After a while she wiped her nose and looked up at Aaron, her eyes glistening. "My father was able to find someone to help her and my sister survived, but barely. It was then that I learned my powers were a danger to everyone and that I had to contain them for the good of my family. For Anna."

Aaron couldn't begin to describe the anguish in his heart as he watched Elsa struggle to cope with her memories. He wanted nothing more than to be able to wipe away her tears and make it so the accident had never happened. So that she didn't have to suffer now. Since he couldn't do that his initial impulse was to offer his condolences for the tragedy. But she didn't need his pity right now. What she needed was courage.

He considered his words very carefully before he spoke. "Elsa, I know there is little I can say right now to make you feel better, and I am truly mournful for the accident that befell your sister… but." He let the word hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "But it was exactly that. An accident. There is nothing you could have done to prevent it and nor should you blame your powers for it."

Her eyes turned cold as she looked at him. "What?"

"You can't blame your abilities for every accident that's ever happened to you. I don't blame my fire for the things that I do."

She glared at him before looking away and sniffling. "I wouldn't expect you to understand," she said in a choked voice.

Aaron couldn't help but scoff at that. "Well, Elsa, I'm afraid I do understand."

Looking back at him, she arched an eyebrow.

He looked down at the table and rubbed his arm slowly. Perhaps it was time that he let her in on a part of his past. "Have I ever told you about my father?"

She was slow to respond as she said, "You may have mentioned him once."

He continued to stare deep into the ice before him as he began to speak. "My father was a simple man. Strong and fair, he always did what he saw as right. And there was only ever one person he ever truly loved." His eyes lifted up to Elsa. "My mother. While he was never bad to me, it was clear that she was the only person who mattered in his life. He never gave her so much as a cross word and did whatever he could to please her. I've never seen two people so in love.

"Then my mother became pregnant with my sister. She was so eager for the child to be born and my father had never seemed to be so glad just to see her happy. It was as though their entire lives had been leading up to this. So, when my mother finally went into labor you can imagine that it was pretty exciting. But then something went wrong. I don't remember much, as I was only six at the time, but what I do remember is blood. Lots of blood."

Aaron leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling, letting out a heavy sigh. "My mother died that night, giving birth to my sister Helena. Despite this I thought that my little sister was a blessing. That since my mother had died giving birth to her that she had to be something special. Something worth preserving." His eyes darkened and he began to scowl. "But that's not the way my father saw it."

"To him she was an abomination sent to rip the one thing he loved away from him. But I was able to protect her from his wrath and convince him to keep her. So that my mother's death would not have been in vain. From then on, however, my father was a different man. He never smiled or laughed anymore and always had a haunted look about him. Years went by, but time only seemed to make his wounds worse. By the time I was thirteen I was the one struggling to provide for the family as he'd taken to drinking in an effort to alleviate his pain and had stopped working altogether. Helena was in a constant state of fear as he tended to get quite angry when he drank and she was the primary target for his ire. And while I did what I could to help her, trying to cheer her up or make her laugh, I had my own problems to deal with.

"My own powers had started out as little more than parlor tricks but were quickly growing to more than I could handle, to the point where I had to be careful with what I touched, lest I it set ablaze. Fortunately I was able to keep it a secret from everyone else outside the family as the last thing we needed was for everyone to think that I was a monster. But, despite my troubles, I always pitied my poor sister for her lot in life. My father seemed to have made it his goal in life to rob her of her childhood. So, when it came time for her seventh birthday I decided to do something special. I prepared her favorite meal and bought what presents I could with our meager savings, doing my absolute best to make everything perfect."

"And do you know what happened?" Aaron asked as he looked down at Elsa, smiling. "She loved it. We must have played for hours with her new toys, with her giggling and laughing all the while. It had been hard to prepare and cost a lot, but it was worth it to see my sister get to be a child for the first time in her short life."

He felt his hands slowly close into fists and the fire reignited in his chest as he remembered what came next and his voice grew sharp. "That was when my father arrived home. I could tell from his walk that he'd been drinking already that night and that he was in a foul mood. He only seemed to get angrier when he saw the things I'd bought for Helena. He then started to yell at her, demanding to know where she'd gotten them. When she didn't answer right away he struck her."

Aaron paused as he thought back on that moment. How his sister had been silently crying. How he watched his father draw back his hand. And the instantaneous fury that had occurred within him.

"It was in that moment that I felt something deep inside of me snap. All the years of torment and abuse my sister was subjugated to suddenly became too much to bear and I felt my hatred welling up inside of me. So I quickly moved between them and demanded that he leave her alone. That was when he struck me and my fire truly burst forth for the first time. Blinded by rage I quickly set my father alight along with the house around me. How he screamed. Long and loud as he battered at the flames, but to no avail. By the time I snapped out of my anger it was too late to save my father, so I grabbed my sister's hand and ran outside to escape the flames.

"We lived on the edge of town but people had already begun to notice the fire and were rushing toward us. I knew they were going to blame me for what had happened and was trying to determine what to do when I noticed my sister's expression for the first time."

His throat grew tight and he allowed his face to sink into his hands. "Her skirt was burnt and she was clutching one of her new toys, a small doll, to her chest, which I'd managed to save along with a few of her drawings. But her eyes… Helena was staring at me as though she'd never seen me before. As though her brother had never existed and all that stood before her was a monster."

Aaron found that he could no longer speak and drew in a ragged breath. He swallowed a few times and tried to regain his composure when he heard Elsa ask gently, "So what did you do?"

Lifting his head, he looked at her. She was clearly distraught at his words but was doing her best to give him a comforting smile, which, he had to admit, helped. He drew a deep breath and sat up before continuing. "I ran. I turned and ran into the darkness, never looking back. That was the last time I ever saw Helena, standing alone in the night with her doll as her home burned behind her."

He finally managed to calm himself and gave Elsa a level stare. "I had murdered my own father and destroyed my sister's life with my powers and for years I was wracked with guilt. I decided to go far into the mountains where I'd be far away and couldn't harm anyone else, so it was here in these hills when I realized a simple truth."

"What truth?" Elsa asked after a moment.

Aaron's expression turned sad. "That my powers weren't to blame for what had happened. I was. My powers are as much a part of me as my arms, or my legs. It was I and I alone that did all that. So I learned to control my powers, to control my anger… so such a thing would never happen again."

He then looked deep into Elsa's eyes and said, "And so must you learn to control your fear. For it wasn't your powers that struck Anna. It was you. I know it sounds difficult, but you can no longer try to hide from them. You can't hide from that which is a part of you. That which you are."

Elsa's eyes grew anxious as she asked, "And what am I?"

At least that was easy to answer. Aaron knew what say without even thinking. "A strong, beautiful woman who has been blessed with an amazing gift."

That appeared to be the right thing to say as she blushed slightly and looked down at her hands, looking pensive. Silence once more settled in the room as she seemed to be considering his words. Then she quietly rose and started walking to the door, but stopped just short of it and turned to face him. "Aaron?"

He gave her a small smile. "Yes, Elsa?"

She returned the smile and said, "Thank you for sharing that with me. I know it wasn't easy."

"And the same to you. But if our pasts were easy, then they wouldn't be worth sharing." He started to look away when he thought of something else to say. "Just promise me you'll always remember this, Elsa. Your powers are a part of you and help to make you into the person that you are. And that person is extraordinary."

She glanced down at the floor for a moment before looking back up at him. "So are you. Good night." She then quickly stepped out of the room before he could reply and he could hear her walk down the hall.

He waited until he heard her door close before whispering quietly, "Good night." Climbing to his feet with a small stretch, he went back to where he'd been standing earlier and gazed out into the darkness of the night.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Darkness swirled through her room as Elsa sat on her bed with her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. The cloud bank still loomed ominously outside as they blocked out the stars above and snuffed out all light, causing the world to become very still.

There was only one source of light to be seen. The fire shard Aaron had given to her. It lay on the blanket in front of her as the flames within it pulsed and writhed in a myriad of colors. The soft orange glow it gave off lightly illuminated the darkness around her as she stared into its fiery depths.

Her mind was still enraptured in the conversation she'd just had with Aaron and how she'd felt. How they'd swapped tragedies and he'd allowed her to get a glimpse of his mysterious past.

To be honest, she'd at first felt disdain at what he'd done. His father sounded like a wretched being and probably deserved to be punished for his actions, but no one deserved to die like that. Not even a monster. But then Aaron described how he'd realized what had happened. The pain that it caused him to have broken his sister's trust in him.

Ultimately Elsa didn't know how to feel. On the one hand she was shocked that he could do such a thing. But on the other he'd done it out of the love for his sister and in an attempt to protect her. She wrestled these two thoughts against one another as she stared into the flames before her. But then she recognized which one she went with. Either way the result was the same, whatever the reason behind it.

He had revealed to her that he was not perfect, as his normal manner would suggest. That even he could become emotional and lose control now and again, even make mistakes. But, despite that he'd made some rather large ones and even had gone so far as to have blood on his hands, she found she just couldn't hold that against him. Besides, he already seemed to do that enough just by himself. To her all his faults simply made him a man, instead of a near godlike being that he could otherwise be mistaken for.

Aaron may not ultimately be the man that she thought he was, but, as she thought about it, the more she began to suspect that he was so much more. While there was still the warm and beckoning exterior that originally attracted her to him, beneath it was a whirling mass of emotion. She could still vividly see it in his face as he had described his family's fate. The deep sorrow as he recalled his mother and how she had died. The burning rage towards his father, but also, more importantly, the unassailable guilt for what he had done. As though he knew that no matter what he did or who he helped, that it would never be able to make up for sealing his father's doom.

His emotions seemed to be at their strongest when he'd spoken of his sister. His face had glowed with love and kindness as he described her happiness. Then came the agony as he tried to describe her miserable life and all that she had to live with. It'd had taken all her strength not to cry as he'd talked of the cruelties his sister was subjected to.

The most important moment had come at the end however, and Elsa knew that she would never forgot the look on his face as long as she lived. The look of sheer horror that had crept into his eyes as he remembered how his sister had looked at him. The way his voice had shook as he tried to continue but failed. It looked as though Aaron had been stripped of all that he was in that moment. All his joy and all his hate had vanished as he was reduced to a terrified little boy who had just lost the one thing he cared about at the mere thought of the memory.

She shuddered as she thought of his tortured expression and quickly pressed the image from her mind. After a moment she slowly reached out and picked up the glimmering fire shard, allowing it to roll into her palm as she reflected on Aaron's past.

And yet, despite what had happened, despite all the wanton destruction and death that his powers had brought him, he had still learned to accept them and come to peace with his actions. Deep within the surging storm of his heart was a placid pool of tranquility. A place that he could go to and calm himself as the world raged about him.

Elsa had no such pool. She'd never come to terms with her past, so whenever she thought of her own sister she was instantly set upon by a terrible gale of fear and despair that swept her away and left her shaken and disoriented. It was then when her powers responded, warping into terrifying and grotesque figures about her. Even now, as she quietly contemplated what had happened to Anna, she could feel the ice warping around her in the encroaching darkness. Twisting in agony at her tortured thoughts.

But if Aaron could forgive himself for all that he'd done, then she could also forgive herself. He seemed to be convinced that the most important thing she could do was let go of her fear and forget what had happened.

_No,_ she thought, shaking her head. _Not forget. Accept. Accept what happened because there's nothing I can do to change it. And to accept my powers as part of who and what I am._

She brought up her other hand and conjured a small flurry of flakes alongside the fire shard. It pulsed and trembled to her fearful thoughts but gradually slowed as she calmed her mind. Eventually it just hanged in the air in front of her, gracefully rotating with an occasional swirl, and she felt the frost around her gradually resettle into a peaceful state.

Alright. It was time to stop living in the past. She wasn't sure if she would ever be able to forgive herself for what she'd done to Anna, but at the very least she could stop fearing it. And truly accept the mantel and responsibility of being queen of the ice and snow.

Closing her eyes, she closed her hand tightly around the fire shard and allowed its warmth and light to bleed into her skin. While focusing on the soothing heat and allowing it to quiet her mind, she thought, _I hereby vow to never allow fear to control my powers again. If anything is going to control them it will be me and me alone. And I will learn to become one with my abilities. To allow them to merge with every facet of my being instead of being a separate being._

Elsa opened her eyes and gave herself a satisfied nod. _Yes, that was sufficient._ She then softly placed the fire shard on the bed beside her and quietly spilled under the sheets. Making sure not to take her eyes off the glowing orb, she stared deep into its molten heart as she slowly slipped off into sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The clouds had all but dissipated by the time the sun rose the following morning. A thin veil was all that remained behind, giving the sky a silvery sheen and dimming the sun. A light breeze blew in from the north and softly brushed through Elsa's hair.

She stood on the balcony with her hands clasped in front of her and her cape splayed out behind her. Her head was tilted back and her eyes closed as she soaked in the sun's rays. Elsa had never really appreciated how soothing warmth could be, but then she'd met Aaron. Now she couldn't seem to get enough of it.

Drawing in a deep breath and slowly exhaling, she opened her eyes and looked out over the wintery landscape. The world almost looked different after last night. Somehow brighter. Before she'd always been afraid for one reason or another, be it losing control or hurting someone. Now, though, it felt like she could truly breathe for the first time in years.

And it felt as though she owed some of this newfound sense of freedom to Aaron. Though he'd been somewhat daunting and even terrifying at times, he'd helped her to see past the fear and uncertainty to the true beauty of her powers and herself. While at first she'd been slightly uncertain about him, now she felt only gratitude.

All she had to hear was the slightest footstep to know that he was behind her. Without turning or looking she said, "Hello, Aaron."

"Elsa," he replied, stepping beside her and taking in the view. Neither spoke for several moments as the wind quietly whistled around them, tugging at their clothes and stirring the air.

After enjoying the distant mountains for a moment longer Elsa cast a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. He stood with his hands together in the small of his back and his shoulders squared. His lips were slightly pursed as his eyes slowly scanned the horizon but didn't appear to be blinking enough. Something seemed to be… off, as though he was somehow uncomfortable. As she watched, he glanced over at her, saw that she was looking and quickly looked away again. If she didn't know better, she'd say Aaron looked nervous.

She couldn't help but smile at the thought. Here he was, one of the most powerful individuals in the world capable of the most incredible feats she'd ever seen. What did he have to be nervous about? Regardless, she couldn't help but enjoy watching him squirm. It gave him an almost endearing quality.

Returning her gaze to the world beyond, Elsa said, "It's a beautiful day."

"It certainly is," he replied without looking at her. It looked as though he was trying to pluck up the courage to say something. So, rather than saying anything else, she simply waited for him to speak and reveal what had him so anxious.

His eyes flicked down to his feet for a second before he finally said, "Elsa, I need to leave." He clearly saw her shocked expression and quickly added, "Just for a little while. I should be back before sundown."

"Oh. Okay." Her heart had given a slight kick at his initial words and she tried to resettle herself. "You probably could have phrased that better."

He turned to give her a sheepish grin before looking away again. As he did so he said, "Yeah, sorry about that. Didn't mean for it to sound like I was leaving for good."

"So where are you going?"

"Home," he said, pointing to the distant mountain he'd called Winter's Peak. "I'm almost out of the meager supplies that I brought with me and have to go restock. I've got plenty stored there, however, and can just bring some back here." His voice seemed to tighten as he said, "And I was wondering…"

He paused and closed his eyes as he cleared his throat. Reopening them but continuing to stare straight ahead, he continued. "And I was wondering if you would like to accompany me."

Once more Elsa's heart seemed to stop working properly as her eyes widened. He was inviting her to visit his home, a place probably very few other people had ever even seen. No wonder he'd been acting strange. He'd probably never asked anyone to see it before after a life of isolation.

While her insides were trembling with excitement she tried to maintain a calm exterior. "I would love to join you, Aaron," she answered as she gave him a warm smile. "Nothing would make me happier than to see your home… but, wait." Her brow furrowed as she remembered a slight problem. "But didn't you say that it was over twenty miles away? How are you planning on getting there and back in less than a day?"

Turning to look at her head on for the first time, he smiled a large grin. "Oh, that's the easy part. I'm going to fly."

Elsa blinked several times as she tried to comprehend what he'd just said. Was he seriously trying to suggest that he could somehow fly? After trying to make sense of his words a few times and failing, she shook her head and said, "Excuse me, I must have misunderstood you."

His smile didn't falter. "I said I'm going to fly. Not the most inconspicuous means of traveling and I try not to do it very often, but with all this snow desperate times call for desperate measures," he said, gesturing to the blocked Northern Pass.

"But… I… uh…" She couldn't believe a word he was saying, but his smile was so confident that she was having a hard time doubting him. Finally all she could do was ask, "How?"

In answer to her question he walked forward and vaulted over the railing, twisting so that he landed on the lip of the balcony facing her. "Like this," he replied, taking a step back and falling into space.

"Aaron!" Elsa cried with her arm outstretched, but he vanished from view before she could do anything. She was about to rush to the railing when she saw a dim a flash of light and heard a slight _wumph_. Then Aaron rose back into view and she let out a gasp.

Jutting from his back was a pair of massive flaming wings, each as long as he was tall. Made completely from fire, they looked like an eagle's wings and gave off a flurry of sparks with every flap. Each stroke also gave off a gale of heat and sounded with a deep boom as he slowly landed back on the balcony. Once his feet were down solidly the wings quickly folded neatly behind him, their tips brushing the floor.

All Elsa could do was stare at them as Aaron began to laugh at her expression. In all her years she'd seen her powers do extraordinary things, but nothing quite like this. When her voice finally did return she asked, "How is this possible?"

Aaron's laughter subsided but his grin remained. "Well, it's like I said. Your powers allow you to create massive works of architecture while mine allow me to do other things. I won't pretend to understand the science behind it, but the amount of heat these things give off seems to create some sort of lift. The rest just works like any bird."

"Okay, sure, I guess that makes some sense." _Not really_. "But… I mean… you can fly!"

"Yeah. Pretty cool, huh?" He looked behind himself at his creation. "Just wish they could be a little less conspicuous."

Slowly and cautiously Elsa reached out with her hand and stroked one of the wings. Like the fire shard he'd made her it was hot to the touch and smooth as glass. Unlike the shard, however, it quickly gave to her fingers when she applied pressure and her hand passed through. "Wow," she whispered as she ran her hand across it.

"Yeah, they're safe to touch while I'm on the ground, since I don't have to keep them lit quite so high," Aaron said as he watched Elsa marvel at his wings. "Just be sure not to touch them in midflight, as they burn quite hot in order to work."

His words reminded her that she was supposedly going to accompany him and she gave him a skeptical look. "So how is this going to work if you plan to take me with you?"

Aaron shrugged. "I thought I'd just carry you. You look light enough and we won't be up in the air that long," he said, flexing an arm.

Elsa desperately fought the urge to blush and failed at the thought of him holding her in those strong arms of his. Trying to sweep the image from her thoughts, all she could manage was an, "Oh."

"You'll have to lose the cape, though. I'd prefer that it didn't tangle with a wing and bring our trip to a sudden stop. And it would be great if you could refrain from freezing my clothes. This'll be hard enough without adding a bunch of extra weight."

His words brought her back to reality as she remembered last night. She'd made a vow to start controlling her powers and it looked like this would be her first test. Drawing in a deep breath she turned to face Aaron. He gave her sudden shift in mood a quizzical look but remained silent. Elsa slowly lifted her hand and slowly reached out until it was pressed against his chest.

She couldn't help but give a sigh of relief when ice didn't flash across his tunic. For the first time in years she'd actually touched something that wasn't a living being without it instantly covering in frost. So this was what other people felt when they touched things. _It's so warm,_ she thought.

Her thoughts were cut short when Aaron gave a quiet _he-hem_. Realizing what she was doing she quickly drew her hand back and gave him an embarrassed look. "Oh! Sorry. I just wanted to make sure that… you know… I could control it."

Rather than tease or chide her, however, Aaron simply gave her a broad smile. "That's great, Elsa. Congratulations."

Giving a bashful smile, Elsa stroked her braid and looked away. "Thank you." She then tried to divert the conversation elsewhere. "So when do we leave?"

"Right now, if you like."

Elsa blinked in surprise. "Now?"

"Sure. Why not?" he asked. "There's not much point in waiting here, unless you can think of a reason not to."

"I suppose not." With a flick of her hand her cape dissolved. "Ready when you are." That of course was a lie as her heart fluttered when Aaron gently lifted her in his arms and walked to the edge of the balcony. Her arms tightened around him when she looked over the edge. "Wait! You've never flown with someone else. Are you sure about this?"

Aaron grinned and simply said, "Nope," before he leapt from the balcony.

Elsa couldn't help but scream as the wind roared in her ears and the ground rushed up to meet them. Nothing could have prepared her for the sense of weightlessness as they fell through the air. Instead of watching their demise approach Elsa buried her face in Aaron's neck and squeezed her eyes closed.

There was a loud _snap!_ and their decent suddenly slowed as the air continued to rush by. She refused to open her eyes to see what had happened, though, certain that though the snapping sound signified something bad had happened.

Then Aaron spoke. "Elsa! It's alright, you can open your eyes!" He had to yell just to be heard over the swirling air.

She slowly cracked one eye open and then the other. The ground was no longer approaching but was instead speeding past beneath them as they hurtled over the trees of the valley. She wanted to be angry with Aaron for leaping without warning her but couldn't feel anything other than elation as she realized they were actually flying. She couldn't help but laugh as it was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before.

Looking at Aaron, she was surprised to see how serious he looked. His face was tightened with concentration as he looked at the land before them. Both his wings were stretched to their fullest length and burning much brighter than they had earlier, occasionally giving a large flap. He noticed she was looking at him and her a quick smile before returning his attention to the task at hand.

It didn't look like he was in mood to talk while up in the air so she returned her attention to the world below and simply enjoyed the ride. It was incredible how smooth and graceful the trip was as they glided along. Apart from the occasional jostle by the wind or change in course Aaron held her extremely gently and didn't seem to tire for the entire journey.

It probably took at least thirty minutes until they began to circle and descend, but to her it felt like it had only been a few. She'd enjoyed the exhilaration she got from the feeling of buoyancy after she'd gotten used to it. And, though she'd probably never admit this to another living soul, she found it quite nice to be held safely in his warm arms.

Realizing they'd probably reached Aaron's home, she looked down to see that they were headed towards a large frozen lake nestled up against the side of the mountain. Aaron flew towards the northern end of lake and landed softly on the snow before gently setting Elsa on her feet. The moment they were once again on the ground his wings gave a flash and melted away.

Spinning to look around them, Elsa gave Aaron an excited smile. "That was amazing! We have got to do that again!"

He laughed before saying, "How do you think we're getting back? But I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Oh, the sense of weightlessness! Of freedom! How do you ever stay on the ground?"

Shrugging, he began to walk away from the lake's shore. "I like to not draw attention to myself whenever possible, and anyone can see me when I'm up from miles around."

She followed close behind, still marveling at what they'd just done. "I know, but that was just… wow. If I could fly I would never walk anywhere."

"I like walking. It gives you time to think and enjoy your surroundings. Also takes much less effort that maintaining a giant pair of wings." He suddenly stopped and Elsa nearly walked right into him. "Oh, sorry. We're here," he said, gesturing in front of them.

There, before her, was a pair of the largest spruce trees she'd ever seen. Standing against a towering cliff behind them, each had to be at least one hundred and fifty feet tall and several feet thick. And there, nestled between them, was a small one room cabin made from hewn logs. It was a quaint little structure, with a chimney on one corner and a small window facing out towards the lake. Unfortunately, it was also buried under a few feet of snow.

"One second," Aaron said as he walked towards it, summoning a small fire storm to melt the snow away from the front, though he left the cabin and trees unharmed. "There we go," he said after he was done and called over his shoulder as he went in, "You're welcome to come inside, you know."

Realizing she'd just been watching him work, Elsa hurried to the door. From the inside the cabin looked much larger than it did from outside. A small fireplace sat to the right of the entrance and had a small bookshelf sitting next to it with at least a dozen different novels. There was a small table and a single chair to the left with a solitary candle and a pair of picture frames on the table. Various cooking utensils hung from pegs above it. The back corners were dominated by a bed in the one and assorted tools and a trap door in the other, which she assumed led to a cellar of sorts. She could hear Aaron down there as he muttered something and shifted things around. In the center there was a large animal hide on the floor, though she couldn't tell what it was.

After looking around Elsa went over to the bookshelf to see what he had in his collection. Seeing as he had Romeo and Juliet and claimed to have read other famous titles, she expected him to have a few other classics. Even with this in mind, she was still surprised to see that, despite a few obscure ones she'd never heard of, many of his books were quite famous. Macbeth. Dante's Inferno. Both the Iliad and the Odyssey. Where did he find these, especially all the way out here?

She'd just picked up one of the ones she didn't recognize and was perusing the cover when she heard a thunk followed by muffled cursing and Aaron emerged from the trap door with a bag, rubbing his head slightly. She also noticed a bow and arrows slung across his back. After he finished sorting out the contents of the bag, mostly various foods, she pointed to the shelf and asked, "Where did you get all these?"

"Hmm?" he responded, looking up. "Oh, those. Just here and there over the years. You'd be surprised what the traders and merchants around these parts get their hands on."

"Some of these are very famous works of literature."

"Yeah, well, what can I say? I like good books," he said as he went back to the trap door. "Excuse me, I need to grab a few more things. Then I'll whip up a quick lunch and we can head back to the palace."

"Alright." She watched him descend below again before turning her attention back to the room around her. In this rare glimpse into Aaron's mind, she had to admit she'd expected something like this. A spartan appearance with few luxuries, it was all neat and orderly. There were a few oddities, like the books and what appeared to be an elongated ironbound chest pushed under the bed, but everything had its place.

As she looked around she once more noticed the pair of pictures sitting on the table and decided to take a closer look. But, when she got closer, she couldn't help but notice how simple they were. The frames were beautifully ornate and appeared to be hand carved, but the pictures themselves were just charcoal scrawled onto fading parchment and looked like they were made by a child.

One was of what appeared to be a small house sitting next to the forest and mountains in the background. There was even a crude deer drawn net to the house. The other was harder to identify at first as large portions around the edges had been burned away at some point. Much simpler than the other, all it had was two individuals holding hands in the middle. One was slightly taller than the other and appeared to have had fire scrawled on its other hand. Elsa's eyes widened when she realized it had to be Aaron and that meant there was only one possibility about who their creator was.

She was reaching out to pick one up when she heard Aaron say, "Please be careful with those." She looked over her shoulder and saw him standing next to the trap door. He'd climbed up the ladder without making a sound and now had a solemn look on his face.

"Sorry." Straightening up and gesturing to the pictures, Elsa asked, "Your sister Helena drew these, didn't she?"

He nodded as he quietly crossed the room to join her, pointing at one and then the other. "That one is our home before the incident. And the other, as I'm sure you've figured out, is me and her. She drew these just days before I left."

"Well, she was quite an artist," Elsa said in her most comforting tone.

Aaron's eyes seemed to tear up as he looked at the drawings. After a moment he said in a saddened voice, "She was once my whole world. I would have done anything for her. Now this is all I have left to remember her by." He appeared to be lost in thought for a few seconds before shaking his head and giving Elsa a smile. "But enough with living in the past. Now, how would you like something to eat?"

She returned the smile, remembering that she hadn't eaten anything all day. "I'd love that."

"Well, luckily, here I have access to all my supplies, so let's see what I can come up with." As he set about assembling various vegetables Elsa couldn't help but give the pictures one last look. Despite what had happened and how many years had passed he appeared to still love his sister dearly. And that loyalty just made her heart yearn for him all the more.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Something had changed. Aaron couldn't be sure what it was, but something had definitely changed. He'd always found Elsa attractive, but now he couldn't help but smile whenever he saw her and she was never far from his thoughts.

Maybe it had happened last night, maybe it had always been there and he just hadn't noticed. Regardless, his heart now seemed to quicken at the mere thought of her striking eyes. Even their meal had been different. After eating the dish that Aaron had prepared she'd said how good it was and he'd brushed the compliment aside. Business as usual. However, when she'd gone to collect the dishes her hand had accidently brushed against his and he'd nearly set the cabin on fire.

After that he'd quickly insisted on doing the dishes and shooed her out the door to wait for him before he accidently burned his own home to the ground. Rather than clean the dishes, however, he'd just incinerated them. They were made out of ice and it wasn't as though Elsa was going to miss them.

Now he was attempting to focus on sorting what supplies they would need from those they wouldn't but didn't seem to be making much progress. Over the last few minutes all he'd managed to do was shift all the contents from one pile into the other without actually sorting any of it. Muttering a curse, he quickly separated the piles once more and took care to try and do it properly. Then his mind briefly flipped to Elsa and he found himself right back where he'd started. After that he simply gave up and began to throw all of it into a bag.

It had taken all of his will and attention just to get them here. He'd tried to focus on maintaining the fire in his wings, but his mind always kept wandering back to how cool and soft Elsa had felt in his arms. And how endearing she was when she played with her braid. And how she'd looked this morning, basking in the sun…

Aaron shook his head, realizing he'd lost himself yet again. _What the hell is the matter with me? I'm not normally this scatterbrained,_ he thought, quickly ramming the last of the food into the bag and slinging it across his back to join the bow and quiver he was already carrying. Taking a look around the room he gave himself a nod. It wasn't clear when he'd next see this place again, but as long as Elsa was with him he didn't much care where he was.

He was finally managing to regain control of his thoughts as he walked out of his cabin and closed the door behind him. All that effort, however, quickly dissolved when he turned and saw Elsa standing down on the shore of the lake. Her right hand was slowly rotating in circles, causing the snow around her to lift from the ground. It then twisted into shimmering coils of frost that circled around her in graceful swaying patterns. As he watched she lifted both hands together and the coils rose above her and slowly gathered into a sphere that glimmered in the sun. Elsa then swiftly brought her hands apart and the sphere burst into a fine powdery snow that gently rained around her.

As though she felt she was being watched, Elsa then turned and looked at him, a small smile on her lips. In that moment time seemed to stand still for Aaron. With the frost swirling around her and the sun lighting her azure eyes, she looked so beautiful that it felt as though his heart ceased to beat. As their eyes met he couldn't help but give her a companionate smile and even at this distance he could see her blush as she quickly turned back to the lake, once more stroking her braid.

That was when Aaron realized he no longer cared. So what if he felt as though he was going insane? Who cared that his gut told him to keep his distance? Everything he knew seemed to become uncertain around Elsa, but what he did know was that whenever she looked at him something stirred deep within his heart.

With this in mind he slowly made his way through the snow until he was standing beside her looking at the frozen water before them. While looking over the stratified ice he said, "That was an incredible display, what you just did."

"Thank you." Her voice sounded self-conscious as she said, "I was just doing a little practice."

"Well, if that was just practice then I can't wait for the next time you really wield your powers, because clearly it will be out of this world." He couldn't help but watch her face as he offered the compliment.

Her cheeks reddened slightly again and she ducked her head slightly to one side. "Stop, you're embarrassing me." She then looked at the surrounding landscape and said, "It's a shame we have to leave so soon. It's very pretty here."

Aaron shrugged. "We've got plenty of time, so there's no rush to be headed back. If you like, we could take a walk before leaving."

Her eyes seemed to brighten slightly as she said, "That would be nice."

Before they started walking, though, he offered her his elbow and asked, "Shall we?"

She gave him a gracious smile and twined her arm with his, saying, "We shall."

They slowly began to walk along the shore of the lake arm in arm, with Aaron choosing the way while Elsa continued to look around them. "It must have been wondrous to live here for so long in such a beautiful place," she said as she gazed up at the towering peaks around them.

"Well, if you think it's pretty now, you would love it in the spring," Aaron replied. "When the first of the snow begins to recede down in the vale but still frosts the mountains. And everywhere the snow melts a vibrant display of wildflowers emerge with a mix of reds blues and golds. Add to that the occasional aurora and it's truly wondrous to behold." He let out a content sigh as he thought back to those colorful nights.

"Sounds like you're going to have to bring me back here in the spring sometime to see it."

He couldn't help but stiffen at her words. He'd never given the coming years much thought around her. But as long as there was a future where he got to stay with her as long as possible, it was probably a future that he could live with.

She seemed to sense her words had distracted him and quickly switched subjects. "So what's with the bow?"

Grateful for the help, he quickly latched onto the new topic. "This old thing? Well, we do need some source of food, and unless you can now make food from ice this is our best bet."

"Are you any good with it?"

Aaron scoffed at the question. "You could say that. How do you think I paid for my books and spices, among other things?"

She hadn't appeared to have thought of this as she thought about it for a moment before giving up. "How?"

"I hunt. People are willing to pay good money for animal hides so long as they're in good condition. I also keep the meat for myself."

"You don't use your powers to hunt? I'm sure they could be quite effective."

His brow tightened and he frowned at the question. "What would be the point? Fire would render the fur useless. I also like to give my prey a sporting chance. They at least have a chance of avoiding an arrow as oppose to a wall of flames." Realizing that his tone had been harsher than intended, he quickly added, "I made it myself."

That seemed to impress her as she glanced at the weapon on his back. "Really? The arrows as well?"

"Yup. Most of the things I own are handmade. It's cheaper than actually paying for them. Of course, it seems a bit moot, bragging about that to someone who can make just about anything with a flick of her hand."

"Oh, stop it," Elsa said, lightly slapping his arm. "Am I going to have to make a rule where you're no longer allowed to compliment my powers?"

"Good luck enforcing that," he replied with a wink before teasing, "But if you would rather I compliment you directly, I can get right on that."

"Really?" Speaking with a sarcastic tone, she turned to look at him with an arched eyebrow and said, "Go ahead."

"Oh. Uh…" He hadn't expected her to actually ask for a compliment and was caught off-guard. Scrambling to regain his composure he quickly went with the first thing that came to mind. "Uh, you're fun to talk to." _Really? That's the best I could come up with? She asked for a compliment, not that garbage._

Instead of giving ridicule or mocking him, however, Elsa simply laughed. "Well, if that isn't what I always wanted to hear." After a moment Aaron couldn't help but join in her laughing.

After their laughter had faded, however, Aaron felt that he had to say something more. "For what it's worth, Elsa, I really do enjoy talking to you."

She gave him a long look before saying, "I really enjoy talking with you as well." As she did this she rested her other hand on his arm and gave him a warm smile before looking away again.

They continued in silence, just enjoying the other's company, until they'd walk all the way to the other side of the lake. After reaching the far side they began to roam downstream until they came across a large pine tree. There, beneath its sheltering boughs, was a dry log that allowed them to sit and look back up the valley to his cabin. His eyes could just make it out across the lake, nestled against the towering cliff behind it.

"It's so peaceful here," Elsa said as she sat beside him and looked at the vale. "I could spend hours just listening to the stillness of it all."

"Yeah," Aaron replied, smiling. He was going to continue when he noticed that she'd slid slightly closer to him. It had been an almost imperceptible movement and he'd almost missed it, but she was now sitting so close their legs almost touched. Rather than comment on it, he was planning on ignoring it when she made her next move.

Every muscle in his body clenched as she slowly tilted her head and rested it on his shoulder. His heart began to beat so hard that he could've sworn he could hear it as his eyes darted back and forth. _What do I do now?_ he thought, trying desperately not to panic. Here he was, with the woman of his dreams leaning against him and it was all he could do to remain calm. But, ultimately, he realized his only option was just to go with it.

Slowly, tentatively, he shifted his arm around her and placed his hand on her side, drawing her closer. Then, ever so gently, he allowed his cheek to rest against her hair. Only when she didn't pull back did he finally allow himself to relax.

As they sat together he heard Elsa give an almost inaudible joyful sigh and couldn't resist the smile that spread across his lips. So this was what it was like to be completely content.

Time slowly slipped away as the sun began to descend towards the mountains but neither of them spoke. Instead they simply leaned against one another and enjoyed the moment in silence. Aaron's eyes slowly tracked across the hills, but otherwise he remained completely motionless. He was too enraptured by what was happening to even form a thought.

After a while, though, Aaron noticed how long the shadows were becoming and lifted his head to look for the sun. Seeing how low it was in the sky, he looked at Elsa to say something but stopped when he saw her face. Her eyes were closed and her lips had the faintest of smile. She looked so peaceful in that moment that if he didn't know better he would have thought she was asleep.

He hated to disturb her, but their time was up. Leaning in, he whispered, "Elsa?"

"Mm?" she responded, not opening her eyes.

"It's starting to get dark. We need to be getting back."

With a sigh she slowly sat up and stretched. Opening her eyes and blinking a few times, she looked at him to asked, "What time is it?"

"Almost sunset," he replied, removing his hand from her waist and standing. One of his legs had partially fallen asleep and he gave it a quick shake to wake it up.

Elsa remained seated on the log for several seconds longer, her eyes staring into to space, before she too rose. "Alright. I guess we should be going."

Walking out from under the tree, Aaron let two jets of flame to emerge from his back and gradually reform into his wings. After giving his home a final glance he turned back to Elsa and held his hand out to her.

She didn't say a word as she walked forward and slipped her arm around his neck, allowing him to sweep her up in his arms. His wings then began to beat and in no time they were airborne again. After circling around the valley a few times he set his attention on the distant North Mountain.

Neither said anything on the flight back. While she'd been very excited when they'd flown that morning, Elsa now seemed to be extremely pensive and kept her thoughts to herself.

That worked just fine for Aaron. He was too caught up in the events of the day to offer much of a conversation. This morning he'd been so uncertain with what he felt for Elsa. Then he'd grown to accept what he felt and, lo and behold, she'd reciprocated those feelings. It was hard to describe how joyous his heart had been as they'd sat together. As though all the rest of the world had ceased to exist while he basked in her rapture.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice the palace approach until they were above it. Pulling his wings back, they slowly circled down to it until he alighted upon the balcony. The moment he set her down Elsa began to slowly walk across the ballroom, apparently still in thought.

Her silence began to worry him, so he stepped inside the door and said, "Elsa?"

That seemed to pull her from her rumination as she turned and gave him a puzzled look. "Yes, Aaron?"

Trying to prevent his concern from showing on his face, he asked, "Is everything alright? You seem kind of distant."

"Everything's… wonderful." A large smile spread across her face as she said that last word. "I'm just feeling slightly… tired is all. I think I'll turn in early tonight." She turned away again and resumed crossing the room.

"Oh. Alright. Good night," he said, still feeling slightly uncertain.

"Good night," she replied over her shoulder. Before she stepped into the hall and out of sight, however, she turned to give him one last look. "Thank you for showing me your home today. It was beautiful."

He gave her a heartening smile as she turned and walked down the hall. As he turned and looked out to the east, he felt a sudden urge to yell. To whoop, to jump for joy, anything to express the excitement welling up inside of him.

Rather than doing any of those things, however, he simply extinguished his wings, removed the things he was carrying, flopped down on his back and looked up at the emerging stars. Letting out a laugh, he smiled at the glistening lights above him. Today had gone so well, there was no knowing what was to come tomorrow. But he felt excited for it to happen.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The snow glowed bright on the mountain's summit as Elsa walked to its highest point. From there she could turn in any direction and nothing obstructed her vision all the way to the horizon. No peak in sight came close to the height of the North Mountain, so she was able to see everything. If it was a little taller she might have even been able to see the distant sea beyond the far ridge of mountains.

Here at the top of the world the wind blew fiercer than it did down at her palace, causing her cape to billow and whip in the air around her as she slowly turned to look around. Everything in sight was covered in ice and snow, which gave her a great deal of concern. She'd first truly noticed how far her powers stretched when they'd visited Aaron's home the previous day, and even that valley had been filled with snow. But at least there was no way her snow could reach Arendelle so far away on the shore of the sea. After all, it was over eighty miles away.

Remembering the previous day she turned to look at the towering Winter's Peak. Like the North Mountain it stood alone from the mountains around it with long sweeping shoulders that stretched down from its pinnacle, even if it was a little shorter. Unlike the North Mountain, however, it had a much broader base with multiple false peaks rising around the tallest one, making the mountain itself look much more imposing.

It was hard to believe that Aaron had lived much of his life in such a wondrous place. With the towering cliffs around the edges of the valley and the large lake at the center, it had been one of the more serene places she'd ever been to. But the things that had happened there, particularly what she had done, raised questions that had plagued her mind all the way back to the palace and well into the night. As a result, she hadn't slept very well.

They'd both risen late that morning after a long day yesterday. After breakfast Aaron had said that there were some things he needed to take care of and promptly left without explanation, only to show up again a few hours later. He'd then asked her to make him a few dishes, platters and other various things in the dining room before shooing her from the room and asking that she not go back in until he said it was okay. When she asked what this was all for, he had simply smiled and said, "It's a surprise. I'll let you know when it's ready," before closing the door.

So Elsa had decided to go for a walk. She'd always wanted to see the views from the top of the North Mountain and that was where she'd gone. The climb wasn't easy, with the slope getting so steep at times that she had to make ice stairs just to move forward, but it was worth it for the view.

Elsa had to admit, she was getting kind of excited for the surprise. With Aaron's range of talents and abilities it was hard to say what it could be, but she was sure she'd love it no matter what.

Once she reached the top and saw the world around her, though, her thoughts and questions from last night quickly returned. The events by the lake had caused her to start questioning the nature of her and Aaron's relationship to one another. Did he only do what he did because he saw no alternative, or was there something more happening? She was inclined to believe the latter but couldn't shake the doubt that lurked in the back of her mind.

If only there was someone else up here, someone she could confide in other than Aaron. He was always there for her, it seemed, but she wasn't about to discuss her feelings for him directly to his face. Oddly enough, the last person she'd spoken to about these sorts of things had been her sister Anna. Unfortunately, that hadn't ended so well.

It had been Anna that had caused her to reveal her powers. When she'd said that she wanted to marry that prince from the kingdom of the Southern Isles after only knowing him for a day, Elsa hadn't known how to respond. She'd been so shocked her guard had lowered so when they argued her frustration had gotten the better of her and… well, she remembered what happened.

Anna's reasoning for her desire to marry was because it was supposedly true love and Elsa had immediately dismissed that notion. Ignoring the fact that Anna didn't actually no anything about true love apart from in stories, it was impossible to fall in love with someone in a day.

But now she couldn't help but wonder if there had been some truth to Anna's words. After all, she herself had only known Aaron for a few days now and in that time she'd somehow developed deep feelings for him. She couldn't describe nor explain them, but when she thought of him she felt a strong yearning in her heart to be with him. To talk to him. To see him laugh. To feel his warm arms wrapped around her.

Was this love? _No,_ Elsa thought with a shake of her head. _We haven't known each nearly long enough for actual love._ However, if that was true, and what she felt wasn't actual love, it was certainly well on its way to actually becoming love. Of course, that only served to raise more questions.

Would it become true love? How would she know? Would that change anything between them?

Ultimately there was one question that loomed high above the others and quietly pulled at her thoughts. How did Aaron feel about her? Even if it turned out that she did love him, it wouldn't matter if he didn't love her in return. He'd never actually been very subtle in hiding the fact that he clearly found her attractive, but there was a large difference between attraction and infatuation.

Anyone could find another person to be pretty or even beautiful, while to actually have emotional desire for someone and have them respond in kind was much harder to come by. At least for her, anyway. Aaron was always very cautious with his words and actions, careful to never reveal too much.

No matter what, though, she could take heart from the events of yesterday. She'd decided, in that moment beneath the tree, to actually put her feelings out in the open and he hadn't rejected them. In fact, he'd even put his arm around her and pulled her closer. It had been so nice there, nestled beside him in his embrace. So safe and peaceful. As though she didn't have a care in the world.

Elsa realized she'd closed her eyes and was smiling as she relived the memory. Giving a small frown of concentration, she tried to refocus on the question at hand. So Aaron liked her. At least of that much she could be certain. Of course, that only raised the question of how much. Was it just a mild crush or was he hopelessly in love with her? Or, was he more on the level that she was? Unfortunately, the only way to know that was to ask him.

Sighing, she sat down in the snow and looked up at the sky. There was no way in hell that she'd actually get the nerve to ask him such a thing directly. But, maybe with a little luck, he would tell her. Or, better yet, show her. She would just have to be patient.

The snow began to swirl around her as she absentmindedly lifted it into the air and brought it together into a shape as she focused on her thoughts. Realizing with a start that she'd made accidently spelled out Aaron's name on the ground, she quickly wiped it away and started again.

She ended up staying at the summit for several hours, forming random things from ice and snow and continuing to think about her feelings for Aaron. The sun was just beginning to approach the horizon when she heard a strange noise. Turning to look for the source, she saw a small ball of orange light go whistling up into the air over the palace before it exploded in a shower of glittering sparks.

_Whatever Aaron is working on must be done,_ Elsa thought as she climbed to her feet and began to make her descent. And even if it wasn't, she'd been up here long enough anyway. It was time to see what this surprise he'd spent so long working on was.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_This is it,_ Aaron thought to himself. _Make or break time._

This would either be the best day of his life, or one of the worst. But the only way he was going to find out was by following through.

He'd just spent the last few hours pushing his culinary skills to their limits, bringing together a range of dishes from what supplies he had. When he'd decided to put this together last night he'd secretly flown back to his home to get some things he would need. However, by the time he got back it was late and he was exhausted from all the flying, so he ended up sleeping in much later than he intended.

As soon as he had woken he'd quickly made a light breakfast for him and Elsa before walking partway down the mountain. There he'd made a small pool from the snow and had done his best to bathe himself. It had been an arduous task, considering he had to keep melting snow, but he probably needed it. He'd then cleaned his clothes as best he could, regretting all the while that his tunic was the best he had to wear.

Once sufficiently clean Aaron had walked back to the palace and found Elsa, asking her to make several things for him out of ice. Plates, silverware, stemware, platters, even a pair of small candlesticks. When she asked what it was all for he'd brush the question off and answer as vaguely as possible.

Then he managed to convince her to leave the palace for a little while, giving him the opportunity to work in peace. Cooking at a furious pace, he managed to time so everything finished at around the same time and nothing had to sit for too long. He managed to set a few fires to keep the food warm as he'd previously discovered that the ice Elsa made tended to be much more impervious to heat that normal ice.

As soon as he made the final preparations he'd quickly checked around for Elsa to see if she was there. When she wasn't he went out onto the balcony and sent up a sparkling flare. Where ever she was she would be almost guaranteed to see or hear it and at the very least come back to see what it was.

He estimated that gave him roughly a half hour to finish. Most of the food was cooked and ready, though the main course still needed a minute, so he decided to set the table, laying out identical sets across from one another with the food in between and even added a pair of matching wax candles he had found to either side for atmosphere. Most of the food he'd made were fairly basic, with some steamed vegetables, a small amount of bread he'd been saving and even some edible berries he'd found.

The two centerpieces, however, were much harder to come by. He'd been fortunate enough to stumble across some rock ptarmigans last week while hunting up on a mountain side. One of his favorite things to eat, he'd managed to bag a few and had preserved them in his cellar with snow harvested from a mountain peak. Now one was sitting on a platter surrounded by potato and onion slices after being flame roasted.

The other was an aged bottle of red rhone wine Aaron got a few years ago. Supposedly made and imported far from the south, it had cost him an arm and a leg to get but he'd bought in the event that there was ever a special occasion that he wanted to celebrate. If ever there was a time to celebrate, hopefully tonight would be it.

Everything was set. He'd chosen one end of the table so that they'd be able to look at each other but not be so far away. With a wave of his hand he lit both candles and inspected his handy work for a moment. Yup, everything was perfect. Now all he had to do was wait for Elsa.

It only took five minutes or so when he heard a soft knock on the door. Drawing in a deep breath, he went to answer it. _Show time._

Opening the door but making sure to block her view of the table as he did so, he said, "Elsa. Thank you for joining me this evening."

Her head was cocked to one side as she tried to look past him as she said, "Alright, Aaron. I've been patient. So what's this surprise of yours?"

Deciding he could wait another second he stepped aside and gestured to the table. "This."

Her eyes widened and her mouth opened as she looked at the setting for two. At the meal, the wine, the candles. "Oh, Aaron…"

"Do you like it?" He couldn't help but feel a little nervous while he waited for her response.

She stared at his work for a minute with a look of total shock before finally looking at him and saying, "I love it." After stepping past him into the room she paused and gave him a queer look. "Did… did you try to comb your hair?"

"What? No," he answered hastily, looking away. In fact, he'd spent several minutes earlier trying to get his hair to do anything other than its usual unruly self but had to give up on that endeavor.

Deciding to brush right past the awkward moment, he quickly walked around the table and pulled out a chair for Elsa to sit in. She gave him a gracious smile as she sat in it and allowed him to push her in. Elsa then sat patiently with her hands in her lap as she watched him swiftly prepare both plates of food. After giving hers a little of everything he picked up the bottle and held it out for her to inspect. "Wine?"

"Please." Then her brow furrowed. "Where'd you find wine?"

Aaron chuckled as he stripped away the wax seal and set an ice knife to the cork. "Same place I get books and spices."

"You know, you've never actually told me where you get those."

Pulling on the cork, he said, "That's because it's a secret," before the bottle opened with a loud _pop!_

He filled her glass until she said to stop and gave himself a healthy amount before looking around to make sure everything was where it should be. Only then did he sit across form her. Gesturing to the food, he said, "Bon appetite."

It was all he could do just to sit and wait patiently as she leisurely carved off some ptarmigan and slowly placed it in her mouth, closing her eyes as she chewed. After swallowing she sat there for a few moments before opening her eyes and seeing his anxious expression. "And of course it's delicious."

Letting out his breath, which he hadn't even noticed he was holding, he flashed her a suspicious look. "You were stalling just to make me squirm, weren't you?"

Elsa picked up her glass and took a sip. "Maybe." She gave him a quick wink and a grin.

Aaron rolled his eyes as he set about eating his own food. He was sure that it was good but he was still so nervous that he barely tasted it. Elsa took another bite and said, "Seriously, though. Aaron, you've outdone yourself this time. What's the occasion?"

Trying to appear innocent, he gave her a blank look. "What occasion?"

"Oh please." She gestured to the table. "Wine. Candles. Seriously, what's the occasion?"

He shook his head in response. "No occasion. I just really enjoy the pleasure of your company and wanted to make you something nice."

"Really? Then how long did it take to make?" she teased.

Aaron suddenly became very focused on slicing through a potato. "That's not important."

Elsa gave him a long look as she slowly chewed a bite. Eventually, though, she picked up her glass and said, "Then I propose a toast."

Picking up his own glass, he looked at her. "What are we toasting to?"

"I think you said it best." Holding her glass out, she said, "To the pleasure of your company."

Grinning, he clinked his glass against hers. "To the pleasure of your company."

They both took a sip and after that Aaron began to feel more comfortable, finding his anxieties slowly melted away as they talked. He started the conversation by asking how her day had been and listened as she described the summit. She seemed to have enjoyed it so much that he almost regretted not going there with her.

As they slowly ate the meal and enjoyed the wine, with Elsa even helping herself to some of the berries, the topic switched to their previous adventures. Elsa would tell him what life in Arendelle was like and he would respond with tales of things he'd seen or done in the mountains. They continued like this for over an hour with never a dull moment in the conversation. He would have her rolling in her chair with laughter one minute and sitting on the edge of it in suspense the next. Her own stories were always quite engaging and she described them in great detail. He couldn't help but notice that many of them had to do with her sister and their childhood.

Eventually Aaron found himself describing a particularly raucous night he'd had with a group of travelers he'd met on the road one summer evening a few years back. They'd been a crazy bunch and had brought plenty of wine with them, so it turned into one of the most fun nights of his life.

Pouring himself some more wine, he said, "And we ended up dancing the rest of the night away around the fire until we each dropped from exhaustion."

"Well, that sounds like it was… exciting," she said with an amused look in her eye.

"It was one of weirder things I've ever done, but I'm sure you would have made a much better dancer than I am," he said, gesturing at her with his glass.

Elsa merely shook her head and said, "I don't dance."

Now that was surprising. Setting down his glass after taking another sip, he gave her a scrutinizing look. "Someone as graceful as you? I doubt that very much."

She shrugged. "It's just something I never learned to do, what with never having a dance partner."

He looked at her for a few more seconds before shaking his head and climbing to his feet. "Nah. I'm not buying it." Walking around the table, he stopped nest to her and silently held out his hand.

She gave him an incredulous look and let him stand there for a little while before asking, "What?"

"Come on," he replied, nodding towards the floor before the window. "We're going to dance."

"What?! No!" Her cheeks flashed crimson and she quickly drew her hand back. "I just told you I don't know how. And besides, we don't have any music."

It was his turn to shrug. "We don't need music to dance." Reaching out and softly taking her hand, he lightly pulled at her and repeated, "Come on."

"No, Aaron." She gave him a small glare but her voice was softer. "I said I don't dance."

When she didn't budge he gave her a warm smile and said, "Don't worry, Elsa. I do. So I'll lead."

After a little more coaxing she finally consented with a sigh and a roll of her eyes but returned the smile as she rose from her chair. Aaron slowly led her to the window, never taking his eyes off hers, until they stopped in the middle of the floor and he gave her a quick twirl. Giggling slightly as she spun around to face him again, she said, "Okay, I'll admit that was fun. So now what?"

"Well, first you put your other hand on my shoulder." As he said this he took her wrist and placed it there. "Like so. Then I place my other hand on your waist." He slowly place his hand against the cool ice of her dress. "Then, we dance."

With that they began to gracefully spin about the room. It took a little while but Elsa slowly learned the steps and was eventually able to keep up with his movements with no effort. Actually, it was surprising how quickly she caught on.

"Hm. You're better than I would have thought," he said as they slowly spun.

Grinning slightly, she replied, "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure."

Leaning forward slightly, she said in a quiet voice, "I actually do know how to dance."

This didn't faze him in the least, considering how graceful she was. Instead of pointing that out, however, he simply smiled and said, "Shocking."

"I know, right? Actually my sister and I were both taught when we were younger. She was much better at it than me, but I remember most of it."

"Well, in that case." Aaron paused in midsentence as he sifted his other hand to her back and suddenly dipped her. She started slightly at the unexpected motion and gave him a surprised look as he continued. "I hope you don't mind if we move on to some of the more advanced stuff."

The shock quickly receded as she replied, "Let's."

After he pulled her back up they once more twirled about, but now he added something new every now and again. Spinning her so her back was against him and his arms wrapped around her, twirling her around again, and even lifting her slightly at one point. All the while they starred deep into one another's eyes, saying little apart from Elsa's occasional giggle when he did something she didn't expect.

Eventually, though, their dance began to slow as they made their way back to the center of the room. Once there, Elsa took both of her hands and placed them on his chest before resting her head against them, closing her eyes and smiling to herself. Grinning slightly, Aaron slowly placed both his arms around her and they resumed slowly spinning on the spot.

After a while they stopped doing that even, just standing there in the other's embrace. Gently Aaron lowered his head and rested his cheek on her head, much like he'd done yesterday, while looking out the window at the setting sun. At least this time he didn't have to worry about time. They had all the time in the world.

He closed his eyes his and let out a soft sigh, simply blocking the world to enjoy this moment. Several minutes passed by and the sun slowly dipped down past the horizon but neither of them stirred. After a while Aaron slowly opened his eyes. "Elsa?"

He heard her reply softly, "Aaron?"

"I just wanted to say something."

He felt her start to draw her back so he lifted his own so they could look each other in the eye. Her voice had dropped to barely a whisper. "Yes?"

Aaron opened his mouth to speak when he realized he had no idea what exactly what it was that he wanted to say. "I… I just…" He fell silent again and inwardly scolded himself for his own ineptitude. All he was going to say was how he felt about her, but in that moment he wasn't entirely sure. Did he love her, or was he not there yet? And did that even make a difference?

When he went to speak again, though, she quickly raised her hand and placed a finger over his lips, silencing him. Gazing up into his eyes, she whispered, "I know."

Those two words summed it all up better than he ever could have. In one breath she'd said everything he'd wanted to but was unable to say and told him that she felt the same way.

As she moved her hand returned to his chest, he moved with the moment. Raising one of his own hands, he gently ran his thumb across her cheek and cupped the back of her neck. Then he slowly leaned in.

Her eyes watched him as he did this, full of wonder and even a little trepidation. Then she closed them and leaned forward as well.

He could almost feel her cool lips press against his when he heard it.

_Bam. Bam. Bam._


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

After a brief moment of confusion they both looked to the door.

"What was that?" Elsa asked.

Aaron's brow furrowed slightly as he thought about the sound. "It… it almost sounded like someone knocking on the front door…" His voice trailed off when he realized that was exactly what it had been. Someone had just knocked on the door to the palace.

Taking a step back and giving him a nervous look, she asked, "What should we do?"

He couldn't begin to describe how badly he did not want to go answer the door. Every fiber in his body wanted to pretend as though it hadn't happened so they could pick up where they'd just left off. But someone was out there, and this late in the day it probably wasn't by accident. Summoning all the patience he could muster, Aaron tried to force a reassuring smile and said, "Why don't you wait here while I go see who it is?" He crossed the room to the door as he spoke and turned to look at Elsa.

She hadn't moved from where she was standing and still had an uncertain look on her face. "O-okay. Just… be careful, alright?"

Flashing a cocky grin, he replied, "When am I ever anything but? Now don't you go nowhere. I'll be right back."

Only when she gave him a weak smile did he step into the hall and head for the stairs. However, the second he was out of her sight his face dissolved into a scowl and both his hands clenched into fists. There was so much frustration building within him it felt like he was going to spit fire. _We've been up here for days without seeing another bleeding soul!_ he thought as he stormed down the hall. _And just when things are going so well, now, NOW someone shows up?! _If whoever it was wasn't careful he might just set them ablaze purely out of spite.

Pausing at the top of the stairs he closed both eyes and tried to compose himself before heading down. He took a few deep breaths and unclenched his hands before continuing forward. While still furious, at least now he didn't feel like burning down a forest quite so much. Stepping onto the landing, he was expecting whoever it was to still be outside. That was why he stopped in surprise when that was not the case.

Standing in the center of the room was a young woman with her back to him and staring up at the ceiling. She was wearing a magenta wool cloak and matching hat as well as a blue winter dress. Complete with a pair of high boots and mittens, she looked well dressed for winter weather. Her red hair was bound into a pair of pigtails which hung behind her as she continued to look up at the white snowflake above.

Aaron heard her whisper, "Wow," as she stared and couldn't help smiling. Whoever she was, at least she could appreciate something extraordinary when she saw it. But his smile dissolved when he remembered that she'd come at a very inopportune moment. Stepping up to the railing and placing his hands on it, he spoke.

"Ma'am, would you like to explain what you're doing here?"

She spun at the sound of his voice and seemed startled to see him standing there. "Oh." Her spirits recovered quickly as she gave him a small wave and smile, saying, "Hi."

He gave her a curt nod in response but didn't change his expression. "If you could tell me your name and business for being here, that would be great," he said with a tart tone.

"Oh, sorry. It's just that I wasn't expecting a guy when we finally-" She seemed to notice that she was rambling and quickly stopped. Giving a small curtsy, she said, "My name's Princess Anna of Arendelle. Yours?"

Princess? He blinked in surprise. What was royalty doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere? Never the less, he'd never dealt with someone of royal birth before and wasn't sure how to respond, so he simply gave a short bow. "Your highness. What a pleasure to have you here. My name is Aaron." He looked back up at her. "But, if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing this far from Arendelle?"

As he said this a small question surfaced in his mind. _Didn't Elsa say that her sister's name was Anna?_

Anna smiled brightly and waved his words aside. "Please, you don't have to bother with the bowing and the 'your highness's. Just call me Anna. Anyway, I'm here looking for my sister. She left Arendelle a few days ago and hasn't been seen since."

Now Aaron started to get nervous. Didn't Elsa leave Arendelle just before she came here? One fact could be a coincidence, but two? _Could Elsa actually be… royalty?_ The thought seemed absurd in his mind, but there was some pretty compelling evidence standing right in front of him that suggested she was.

He was about to ask what Anna's sister's name was when he heard Elsa's voice behind him. "Anna?"

They both looked to see Elsa standing in the threshold to the stairs with a look of surprise on her face.

"Elsa! Oh thank God!" Anna quickly rushed to the base of the stairs, looking relieved. Her expression changed as she looked Elsa up and down. "Wow. Elsa, you look… different. It's a good different!" She quickly added. "And this place… it's amazing."

Smiling, Elsa walked over and joined Aaron by the railing. "Thank you." The smile vanished. "But you should probably go."

"But I just got here."

Elsa's face fell slightly. "You belong down in Arendelle."

"So do you," Anna replied, her expression turning serious.

"No, Anna, I belong here." As she spoke Elsa placed her hand on one of his own. "With Aaron. Where we're alone and I can't hurt anyone."

Anna's eyes flipped from her to Aaron. After looking at them for a moment she seemed to piece something together and gave him a suspicious look. However, she was still talking to Elsa when she said, "Elsa, the people of Arendelle need their queen."

Aaron didn't catch Elsa's response as one particular word that Anna had said seemed to be ringing in his ears.

Queen.

Anna had said the word queen. And since she'd already told him that she was a princess that could only mean…

He just stood there for several seconds without moving or blinking. In fact, he was hardly even breathing. His eyes simply stared blankly at the far wall as one thought flew around his head.

_Elsa's a QUEEN?!_

It wasn't clear if he should start panicking or just pass out on the spot. If she'd been royalty he would have been able to cope with that. Even being a princess wouldn't have been so bad. But a queen?!

Since she wasn't wed that meant that she was the sole ruler of an entire kingdom, with thousands of subjects and millions of acres of land. Not only was she capable of controlling snow and frost, she was already the most powerful person in all of Arendelle. And when she did marry, whoever it was would be crowned king. As such this person would also have to be royalty, seeing how no one would allow a commoner to marry directly onto the throne. Much less a loner from the mountains…

"Aaron?"

Elsa's concerned voice dragged him back to the conversation to find that both women were giving him nervous looks. Elsa was nervously clutching her hands together as she watched him. He then looked down to see that he was gripping the railing so tightly that it was starting to crack.

"Are you alright?" she asked as she gently placed her hand back on his.

Trying to pull his shattered mind back together, he turned and gave her a forced smile. "Me? I'm abso… I'm doin… I…" After failing to speak several times he looked back at the wall and fell silent.

She began to rub the back of his hand comfortingly. "What's wrong?"

"Uhhhhhhh…" His voice grew dark as he tried to think of how to word his thoughts. After clearing his throat, he spoke as nonchalantly as he could. "Well, Elsa, it's just that I don't seem to recall you mentioning the fact that you were a queen."

Her voice was quiet. "I know I didn't. It's just that…" The rubbing stopped and her tone became worried. "I… I wasn't sure how to tell you."

He couldn't stop his temper from flaring as she offered what he saw as a flimsy excuse. "Yes, well, at the very least a hint would have been nice."

"I know."

"I mean, think about the position this puts us in, Elsa!"

… "I didn't think it would matter to you."

"Maybe you should have thought of the fact that-" He stopped talking the second he looked back at Elsa. Tears were welling up in her eyes and her lips parted in a silent gasp. She looked so anguished it was as though he'd struck her. Anna still stood at the base of the stairs, one hand over her mouth as her eyes flipped fretfully between them.

After seeing Elsa's expression Aaron's anger instantly became regret and he frowned, bowing his head with a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. It's just that… you're a queen, Elsa. What do you want me to say? That I can just look past something like that? Or that we can just ignore it?"

When Elsa spoke she was so quiet he could barely hear her. "No. But I don't want to be queen, Aaron. I just want to be with you."

Aaron gave their joined hands a long look. All he wanted was the same thing. For fire and ice to become one and leave the rest of the world to fend for itself. In a perfect world they could… but this was reality. Here the things he wanted didn't necessarily always come true. And Aaron knew that he would never be king.

At that moment he heard the door swing open and looked up to see something he wasn't expecting. All he could do was say the first thing that came to mind. "What the hell is that thing?"

Running towards them was what appeared to be a short little snowman, complete with even a carrot nose. It was made completely from snow, stood only a few feet off the ground and had sticks for arms, and yet somehow appeared to be alive.

Joining Anna at the base of the stairs, it turned to him and Elsa and said with arms wide open, "Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" When the only response it got was a couple of shocked stares it leaned over to Anna and whispered, "Yeesh, what did I just walk into?"

That seemed to defuse some of the tension in the air as all attention was on… whatever this thing was. Anna knelt down beside it, saying, "Elsa, Aaron, this is Olaf. We found him wandering around the mountains." Turning to Elsa she said, "He's just like the one we built as kids."

Aaron heard Elsa quietly say, "Olaf?" as she peered curiously at the snowman.

His face turned anxious as he said, "You built me. Remember that?"

Elsa's eyes flashed to Aaron and back in confusion. "Well, of course, but… you're alive?"

Olaf looked down at himself. "Uh… I think so?"

That didn't seem to help as she turned back to Aaron and asked, "How is that possible?"

His heart was still heavy from the new revelation about Elsa, but he had to admit he was intrigued by this bizarre creature. Unfortunately, he was as dumbfounded as she was. Shaking his head, he replied, "I have no idea. My powers can't do anything like this."

"Wait." Anna jumped in before he could continue. "What do you mean _your_ powers can't do anything like that?"

He and Elsa shared a quick look. When she gave him a small nod, he looked back to Anna. "Like your sister, I too have mystical abilities. Only, instead of wielding ice and all that entails, I wield fire." With that, he held out his hand and allowed a flame to appear.

Anna jumped back with a yelp while Olaf's mouth instantly dropped into a large smile. "Ooooo!" he exclaimed, slowly reaching one hand forward.

Of all the reactions Aaron was expecting, that was not one of them. Anna had reacted with fear, which was a natural response, but… excitement? After looking at the snowman's odd reaction, Aaron glanced at Anna. "What's with him?"

She didn't answer him right away. Instead she just stared at him with a look of confusion and dread. Exactly how most people would react if they encountered a pyromancer. When it became obvious she wasn't going to say anything anytime soon Elsa said, "It's alright, Anna. He's like me. You can trust him."

Anna gave her sister an uncertain look but seemed to accept her words. Still giving Aaron a nervous glance, she said, "He seems to be infatuated with the idea of summer and heat. I think this is the first time he's seen fire."

Aaron's eyes darted back to Olaf. "_He's_ infatuated with heat? Him?"

"We've just been going with it."

Aaron was about to ask Olaf something but he stopped we caught on to something she'd said and let the flame vanish. "Wait. 'We?' There's more of you?"

Anna's eyes widened with shock. "Oh, shoot!" She turned to the door and was about to yell something when she stopped. Looking at Elsa, she asked, "Is it alright if I invite him in?"

Elsa's expression turned slightly cold. "'Him'? Your companion is a man?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, he's really sweet. I'm sure you'll like him."

She seemed about to say something hostile in response, but then Elsa held her tongue and glanced at Aaron. Her face seemed to soften slightly as she looked down at their joined hands. Appearing to come to a decision, she said, "Very well, Anna. Call him in."

Anna smiled and said, "Alright," before turning back to the door and shouting, "Kristoff?! It's okay, you can come in now!"

After a moment it cracked open and a head poked in. "Are you sure?!"

"Yes! Now get over here!" Anna yelled, suppressing a giggle.

"Uh… okay!" The blonde haired man stepped the rest of the way inside and walked towards them, marveling at the interior as he went. Joining the other two, he gave Aaron and Elsa a curious look. Slightly taller than Aaron and wearing rustic garb, it looked like from his build that he too had spent some time in the mountains.

Seeming to be still nervous about introducing this newcomer to her sister, Anna said, "Elsa, this is Kristoff. Kristoff, this is my sister Elsa. And her … friend, Aaron." Her voice held some trepidation when she said his name, revealing that she clearly didn't actually trust him yet, despite what Elsa had said.

Aaron felt exasperated from the sudden turn of events. A few minutes ago he was wrapped up in the most extraordinary moment of his life. Now he was wrestling with the fact that the woman he cared for was actually royalty and, on top of that, also had to meet three new faces. Rubbing his eyes with a hand, he asked, "Are there any more of you?"

Kristoff shrugged. "Just Sven. But he can't come in."

"Why not?"

"He's a reindeer."

…"Oh."

Silence fell as Aaron looked at the three people in front of him. Or rather, two people and a… snowman. _Still haven't gotten used to that one._ This was not how he'd thought this evening was going to go. While it was true that he hadn't known what to expect, it certainly wasn't this.

The silence was just beginning to turn awkward when Olaf suddenly asked excitedly, "So when do I get to touch the fire?"

Kristoff was the one who answered. "That might not be such a good idea," he said apprehensively.

Turning to look at him with a puzzled expression, the snowman asked, "Why not?"

"Because…" He looked as though he was trying to think of an answer to give before he gave up with a sigh. "Never mind."

After shaking his head in confusion at the exchange, Aaron glanced at Elsa. She seemed to be reacting to the new guests in the same way he was. With puzzlement and a great deal apprehension. When it became clear that she wasn't going to be the one to speak next he looked back at them and cleared his throat so he had all their attention. "Well, it's getting dark now, so I guess you can all stay here for the night."

Kristoff and Elsa reacted instantaneously, him with an eager "Really?" and her with a shocked "What?"

Elsa gave him a guarded look as he leaned over and muttered, "Come on, Elsa. She's your sister. You can't send her out onto a mountain in the dark."

After a moment she conceded with an irritated, "Fine." Turning back to the trio, she said, "Unfortunately there is only one bedroom left available."

"That's fine," Anna replied. "I'm sure Kristoff and I will be fine sharing a room."

This time when both Elsa and Kristoff responded simultaneously they both gave a deadpanned "What?"

Seeing that both were clearly uncomfortable with this idea Aaron quickly stepped in. "Or! Or I could give Anna my room and just go sleep out on the balcony."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Anna said. "Besides, it'll be cold out there."

"Cold doesn't bother me."

"On account of the fact that you're a…"

"Mm-hmm."

After that brief exchange everyone seemed to look like this was a sufficient compromise, though their expressions showed that they clearly weren't all happy with it. Elsa looked very uneasy to have other people staying here, while Anna kept nervously glancing between her sister and Aaron as though she wasn't sure which one to be more afraid of. Kristoff, on the other hand, just looked confused and Olaf seemed to be happy just being a part of the conversation.

"Very well," Elsa said. "If you would follow us, Aaron and I will show you to where you'll be staying.

As she turned to walk towards the stairs, though, she moved to hook her arm around Aaron's like at the lake but he shifted his aside, blocking her. He just wasn't able to come to terms with this new part of who she was. Wooing a queen was not something he was prepared for. So, in answer to her confused expression, he simply gave her a wordless frown and subtly shook his head. Her eyes turned sad but she gave him a slight nod and kept walking.

Luckily none of the other three appeared to notice the exchange as apparently Olaf had said something that left Anna laughing and Kristoff just shaking his head. They all followed Elsa up the stairs until they reached the hallway and Aaron looked to the dining room, remembering what they'd left behind. Turning to the others, he said, "You all go on without me. There's something I need to take care of. Oh. Anna, Kristoff, one of you feel free to use my bedroll. I won't be needing it."

One of them said, "Okay," as he turned away. As he did so his eyes met Elsa's and they shared another crestfallen look before he walked into the dining room and quietly closed the door behind him. Turning to the table and seeing the still-lit candles and the half-eaten food, he heaved a heavy sigh. _So much for all this._

Instead of simply extinguishing the candles with a wave of his hand, however, he slowly walked across the room and blew them out, one after the other. As the darkness flowed into the room he let his face fall into his hands and gave another sigh.

_What am I going to do?_ He thought to himself gloomily. _Elsa's a queen._ When no answer presented itself after a few moments he dropped his hands, picked up the wine bottle and took a swig. Walking over to the far wall and falling against it, he slowly slumped to the floor and looked dejectedly into the black of the night. No, this evening had not gone at all like he'd hoped it would. For now, unfortunately, he would have to settle for whatever solace wine could give him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The following morning found Aaron where the night had left him, splayed out on the hard floor next to the wall where he'd fallen asleep. One of his hands was still outstretched to where the empty wine bottle had rolled.

As the light gradually grew he stirred. Wincing at the pounding between his temples, Aaron slowly sat up with a grown and clutched his head. _Maybe the wine was a mistake,_ he thought as he slowly opened his eyes and took in the world around him.

The room looked the same as it did before he'd fallen asleep. The table and chairs were where they usually were and the remains of the previous night's dinner were gone. He had planned to leave them there and deal with them in the morning but found he couldn't bear to look at them any longer, taking it all outside to be incinerated. Once that was done he'd returned to his wall and downed the last of the wine before falling into a restless slumber.

He sat on the floor for several minutes, letting the pain subside to a more tolerable level. Then, gingerly, he climbed to his feet and gritted his teeth as every stiff muscle cried out in protest. Sleeping against the wall probably wasn't the best idea, but he'd slept in worse places. After taking a short stretch he turned and hobbled over to the window.

Though the sun had clearly risen, one wouldn't have known it. Instead, a think blanket of fog glowered back at him as it slowly wrapped around the palace and the mountain itself. Nearly impenetrable to his eyes, it blocked out most of the light and caused the world to become very still. As he looked out into the swirling white mist Aaron realized that not only could he not see anything, he couldn't hear anything either. No birds, no wind, nothing. Just the sound of his own breathing. As if the rest of the world had simply vanished, leaving behind just the palace and its occupants.

_If only._

Taking in the stillness for a little longer, he looked at the wall he'd been sleeping against. On the other side, separated by just a few inches of ice, was Elsa's room. The place where she slept and where she went to be alone.

While gazing at the cerulean opaque wall he couldn't help but wonder what she was doing at that moment. Was she still sleeping peacefully? Had she already risen and was preparing to face the day? Or, was she also looking out at the encroaching murk and wishing the rest of the world was gone?

Returning his attention to the window, Aaron let out a sigh. _Probably not._ To be honest, only yesterday he thought he'd started to know what she was thinking. Now he wasn't so sure. If she'd never told him what she really was, what else could she not be telling him? And if she kept something as large and important as that to herself, how could he trust her? However, keeping a secret was one thing. In this case the secret itself was so much larger than the act of hiding it.

He closed his eyes and frowned slightly. _Elsa's a queen._ He'd repeated that lone thought to himself several times last night before falling asleep, but there was simply no two ways about it. She was the ruler of Arendelle and had all the responsibilities that came with it. No matter how he approached this problem he couldn't see a way to get what he wanted. A way for them to be together.

A quiet _ahem_ cut across his thoughts and he almost jumped. Turning slightly, he saw the blonde-haired man who had accompanied Anna from last night. He was standing in the doorway with a good-natured smile on his face. Once Aaron looked at him, he asked, "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Aaron replied, looking back outside. _What was his name again? Kris… something or other._

The man quietly walked across the room and stopped beside him, also looking at the billowing fog. "Quite a sight, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Almost as though the world has stopped moving altogether."

"Right?"

They stood there in silence for a few moments, contemplating the mist, before Aaron turned to his counterpart. "I hate to come across as rude, but I can't for the life of me remember your name."

The man grinned and held out his hand. "Kristoff. Yours?"

"Aaron." He shook the proffered hand and was surprised by how firm it was. Though he looked unassuming, this Kristoff guy had quite the grip. Releasing his hand, Aaron said, "I trust you slept well."

"About as well as anyone can on ice. How about you?"

"Same." Looking at the spot where he'd spent the night and wincing as his back gave a twinge, he added, "Maybe slightly worse."

Kristoff cringed slightly as he followed Aaron's gaze. "Yeah. You're probably right."

Aaron chuckled slightly and turned away from the window to walk to the table. After settling into the chair at the end he asked, "So, Kristoff. If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here? Did Princess Anna bring you along?"

He shrugged as he walked over and sat in one of the chairs to Aaron's right, saying, "That part of it. I was actually planning on coming here by myself. Anna and I just sort of met on the road and we so happened to be going to the same place."

"Really? Well, I guess life's full of coincidences," Aaron replied. "Lucky for her, I guess."

"Lucky for both of us. She actually sort of saved my life at one point." Kristoff smiled slightly before his face soured. "Of course, my new sled got destroyed in the process."

"Ouch. She's going to pay you back, right? Those things aren't cheap."

Nodding with a grin, Kristoff said, "Yeah, she promised me a new one once we get back to Arendelle. So what about you?"

"What about me?"

"How'd you end up here? Did you and Elsa also meet on the road?"

"Oh." Aaron paused to think back on their first meeting. "Well, no, actually. This place was already built by the time I found it. I live in the mountains, you see, so I happened to come across it. Elsa and I just sort of hit it off and I've been here ever since."

As he thought about the time he'd spent in this palace, he couldn't help but be surprised. Had it really only been a few days? It felt like he'd been here for at least a few weeks.

"Huh. I guess you got lucky too," replied Kristoff before he added, "I've also spent a large part of my life in the mountains."

Aaron nodded. "I'd gathered as much from your appearance. It's nice to meet someone who can appreciate all the mountains have to offer, though."

"Agreed. Like a bright sunrise over the snowy alpine."

"Or a nice cold drink from a fresh glacial stream."

Kristoff smiled and said, "Let's not forget the view from atop a mountain's peak."

"Oh hell yes." That had to be one of Aaron's favorite parts of living in the mountains, scaling to the top of a tall summit and looking at the world around it. "Getting to the top of the world and being alone with the wind and sky." He smiled as he thought about some of the mountains he'd climbed and the views he'd seen as a result.

"Yeah. That's got to be one of my favorite things to do."

Blinking in surprise, Aaron gave him a perplexed look. _Isn't that exactly what I just thought?_ Despite the fact that they'd only met recently, he had to admit he liked the way Kristoff thought.

He was about to comment on this coincidence when he heard a quiet knock. They both looked over to see Anna standing in the doorway with a hand on the door. Kristoff's eyes seemed to light up slightly as he smiled and said, "Good morning, Anna."

"Morning, Kristoff," she replied with a smile of her own before giving Aaron an uncertain glance. "Aaron."

Deciding to take a friendly approach, he also gave her a warm smile and a nod before saying, "Anna. Would you like to join us?"

"No, that's okay," Anna said, though she returned his smile. "I'm actually looking for Elsa. Have either of you seen her?"

Kristoff shook his head and Aaron said, "If she's not in her room then she's probably out on the balcony at the front of the palace."

"Oh, okay. Thanks." With that she stepped back into the hall and out of sight.

After listening to her footsteps recede he turned back to Kristoff to find that he was still looking at where Anna had been with a small smile on his face. Only when he noticed that Aaron was watching him did he finally look away from the door. Aaron glanced between him and the door a few times as his mind slowly made the connection and a corner of his mouth lifted in a grin.

Noticing his expression, Kristoff asked, "What?"

If he was going to pretend Aaron didn't just see what he just saw, that was fine. He was going to talk about it anyway. "Oh, nothing. It's just nice to know that I'm not the only one here trying to court royalty."

Kristoff's face turned a little too innocent. "What are you talking about?"

Electing not to beat around the bush, he asked, "You like Anna, don't you?"

"What?!" His face turned beet red as he quickly started stammering. "No I don't! I mean, of course I like her. Just, not like that I mean. Not in the way you're implying."

Lifting his hands defensively, Aaron chuckled. "Hey, you don't have to deny it to me. It makes n difference to me if you have feelings for her."

"But I don't!" He seemed ready to say something else before deflating slightly. "And even if I did it wouldn't matter anyway."

Now that was an odd thing to say. "What do you mean?"

Kristoff looked away and frowned slightly. "She's already engaged to someone else."

That wiped the smile off of Aaron's face as his stomach gave an unpleasant twinge. "Oh." He rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to think of someway to respond to that. After a brief moment of silence, he said, "I'm, uh, sorry to hear that."

"Why?" Kristoff glanced back at him with a solemn expression. "She's happy with it. Says the guy is her true love. And if she's happy, then it's good enough for me."

_Well, at least he was handling it more maturely than I would have_. "What's his name?"

"I forget exactly… Hans, I think. He's a prince from the Southern Isles."

"Hard to argue with a prince," Aaron said, offering a consoling smile.

"Yeah." He fell silent for a moment and looked at the table. "The weird thing is, she's only known him for a day."

"Wait." _Now I know I misheard that._ "What?"

"They met for the first time a few days ago."

Aaron couldn't stop a look of befuddlement from crossing his face. "She got engaged to someone she just met?"

"That's what I said," Kristoff replied, smiling slightly. "But she keeps insisting it's true love."

_And I thought Elsa and I were going fast,_ he thought with a smirk. "Is he at least a nice guy?"

"Dunno. I haven't met him."

Aaron wanted to say something more but found that he simply had nothing more to add. This had to be one of the weirdest things he'd ever even heard of. So, instead, he remained silent.

After a while Kristoff shook his head slightly and looked back to Aaron. " So what about with you and Elsa?"

Now it was Aaron's turn to feign innocents. "How do you mean?"

With an irritated sigh, Kristoff said, "Oh, don't play dumb. You were holding hands when I walked in last night. Either you're a couple or one of you is extremely clingy."

"Hm. Yeah, I guess we were," Aaron replied, thinking back on it. He then gave a sigh of his own and looked dejectedly at the floor. "We've encountered a slight hitch and I can't see a way around it."

"Really? Well, maybe I can offer some fresh insight. See something you missed."

Giving a shrug, he replied, "Sure. Why not. Alright, here's the problem. She's a queen."

Kristoff sat quietly for a few seconds before looking confused. "And?"

"'And'? That's it. That's the problem. She's the queen of Arendelle and I'm a nobody who's spent his life in the mountains."

"Well, ignoring the fact that you somehow didn't know she was the queen, this really isn't that big of a problem."

Now Aaron was starting to feel slightly angry. "Okay, first of all I've never even been to Arendelle before and she neglected to tell me what she was, so how was I supposed to know? And secondly, how is this not a problem? Queens don't marry commoners!"

His mouth snapped shut and his hands squeezed closed as he realized he'd just said the 'm' word out loud when referring to Elsa for the first time. _Marry? Let's just focus on getting this relationship to survive the next couple days first, then worry about that sort of thing. Who am I, Anna?_

Luckily Kristoff didn't seem to notice his choice of words, and if he did he didn't comment on it. Instead he said, "Alright, you don't have to yell. But you're forgetting something important. Elsa's the queen. That means she can do whatever she wants and no one can tell her otherwise. I'm pretty sure she can be with whoever she likes."

Aaron opened his mouth to answer but closed it again. He hadn't considered that. It was true that a queen's power could be absolute. _But wait._ "Aren't there laws against that sort of thing?"

Kristoff shrugged. "And so what if there are? Why can't she just remove them, or make new ones?"

Once again his words baffled Aaron. How had he not thought of this? Of course, there was still one other large problem with Elsa being a queen, much larger than the other, but he didn't want to get into it with Kristoff. He seemed like a nice guy, but that was probably something best discussed with Elsa. In fact, he should probably go talk to her now.

Rising from his chair, Aaron said, "You've given me a lot to think about, Kristoff. Now I'm actually pretty glad you came here. But if you'll excuse me, I have to go take care of something."

Offering a friendly smile, Kristoff replied, "Glad I could help. And if you need any more advice, let me know."

"Sure, thanks," Aaron said absentmindedly as he walked towards the door. His mind was already so caught up in what he was going to say to Elsa that he barely paused to say goodbye before heading towards the balcony.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The encroaching fog was incredibly vast and all-consuming as it swallowed everything and blocked it from view. It was so thick that Elsa couldn't even see the bridge to the palace down below her. As she stood on the balcony and let the cloying mist swirl around her, she couldn't help but feel a little claustrophobic.

She'd risen early, taking care to be as quiet as possible so as to not wake anyone else. Coming out to the balcony to be alone with her thoughts, she was surprised by the thick wall of mist that had greeted her. But it was better than a snowstorm at the moment.

The events of last night continued to play through her mind as she stood there. The dinner with Aaron. What had almost happened at the end of it. _Couldn't have waited a minute longer, huh Anna?_ she thought with a frown. Now her own sister was here at the palace. It was the first time they'd seen each other since the coronation party. Though it did make her nervous to have Anna here, it was nice to see a familiar face. And now , oddly enough, the two people she cared most about were both under the same roof. Along with a mountain man and a snowman.

That was when Elsa heard a quiet knock behind her and she turned to see her sister, Anna, standing at the entrance to the balcony. She had her hands clasped in front of her and looked slightly nervous. "Hi, Elsa. Do you have a minute?" she asked quietly.

Adopting a warm smile, Elsa replied, "For you, Anna? Always."

She had to admit, when she'd first seen Anna last night she both shocked and terrified. The whole reason she'd left Arendelle in the first place was to protect people from her powers, especially Anna. So to have her here just put her back in harm's way.

However, that was before she met Aaron and he'd shown her what it meant to have these powers. Now she wasn't afraid of her abilities like she used to be. They were still dangerous, but they could be controlled. So for Anna to make the journey all the way out here just to see her was actually quite touching.

Anna tentatively returned the smile and stepped out onto the balcony. Stopping next to Elsa, she looked around at the mists. But as she drew closer Elsa couldn't help but feel a twinge of uncertainty. Control was a wonderful thing but it did have it limits. She had no problem touching Aaron because he could defend himself from her ice and she didn't mind touching inanimate objects because she couldn't hurt them. With Anna, though, she didn't feel like taking any chances. As long as Elsa kept her distance, tnough, Anna would be alright.

After a moment of silence as they both looked out at the fog, Elsa couldn't help but notice that Anna looked very anxious standing next to her, so she gave her another reassuring smile and said, "Hi."

Giving a small jolt, Anna looked at her and smiled back. "Hi."

"It's nice of you to come all the way out here to see me."

"Oh, it was nothing," Anna replied, waving her off. "It's not like this place is out of the way or anything." She paused as she looked at the structure behind them. "And it was totally worth it just to see this. I mean, it is beautiful."

Elsa smiled fondly as she gazed on her creation. "Thank you. I never knew what I was capable of until I came here."

Anna looked at the palace for a moment longer before turning back to Elsa with a somber expression. "But it's not the reason I came here, Elsa."

Her own expression serious and she looked away from Anna. "I know the reason you came. You came to convince me to return to Arendelle."

Letting out a sigh, Anna said, "Yes. It's for your own good and the good of the kingdom."

She continued to stare into the fog as she replied, "I'm not going back, Anna."

"But-"

"No, Anna," Elsa said, cutting her off before she could continue. "It wouldn't be safe for anyone. No, I'm better off here. Alone."

"But we could make things the way they used to be. You could go back to being the queen and we'd be best friends again."

Closing her eyes and giving out an exacerbated sigh, Elsa asked, "How?"

"With this."

Elsa looked over at her sister and was surprised to see that she was holding out the coronation glove she'd taken from her. However, her face quickly turned to stone as she looked at the glove and the ice around them gave a small shift in response. Looking away again, she shook her head. "No. I will never wear that ever again."

"Why not?" Anna asked. "You used to wear gloves all the time."

Her voice turned cold as she said, "Because they were a cage. A cage to contain me for the good of everyone else." Turning to Anna and giving her a stern look, Elsa gestured to the world around them. "Don't you see, Anna? I'm free here. Free to be who I am and to let my powers be a part of me. Free of the fears I felt while in that cage. And I'm not about to give that freedom up by going back to Arendelle."

Anna's eyes saddened slightly as she lowered the glove. "Your powers may not be as great as you think."

"No? Just look what I've done with them." She pointed at her palace. "I made all this purely out of will. I've done things no one else can do. I even made a living being."

Confusion spread across Anna's face as she said, "Actually, I've been meaning to ask you about that. Just how did you make Olaf?"

Elsa calmed slightly as she considered the question. After some thought she replied, "Well, I'm not really sure, to be honest. But I do have a theory. I'm going to warn you right now, though, it sounds… weird."

"Elsa, you can control ice with your mind," Anna said with a smirk. "If it wasn't weird I probably wouldn't believe it."

Smiling back, Elsa said, "Alright. Well I'll do my best to explain it." With that she held out her hand and summoned a small cloud of frost, letting it dance above her palm. She gazed down at it as she continued. "Aaron always talks about his fire as though it's a part of him. Like an extension of his being. But I'm not so sure that's how my ice works."

"Really? Then how?" Anna asked.

"Well, this is going to sound a little crazy, but it's almost like my powers capable of acting on their own." She let the frost float upward and slowly drift back and forth in front of her. "They still obey my commands and bend to my will, but respond to my emotions freely. When I'm happy, they seem content. But when I'm upset my powers become agitated, though not out of control as I always thought. It's almost as though they're is protecting me by trying to remove whatever they perceive as a threat."

Anna blinked several times as she tried to process this, saying, "Uh, okay. I'm not sure if I'm following you too well, but how does this relate to Olaf?"

Elsa let the ice cloud dissipate and looked at Anna. "I'm getting to that, but remember that this is just a theory and I really have no idea. When I create a vessel capable of holding it, it's like my power breaks off a piece of itself and puts it into this vessel. This small piece can animate the thing it's occupying and even think for itself, but it isn't alive. At least, not in the way that we are. It doesn't feel pain or need to eat or anything like that."

"Come to think of it, yeah. I've never actually seen Olaf eat or sleep before," Anna replied. Grinning, she added, "I even took his head off once by accident and he really didn't seem to mind."

Smiling at the thought, Elsa asked, "By accident?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "Alright, so I kicked it off. But he startled me!"

Elsa couldn't help but laugh at the image of Anna kicking Olaf in the face. _Okay, that would have been pretty funny to see._ After her laughter died off, though, she composed herself and looked back to Anna solemnly. "See, though? Creating Olaf was an extraordinary feat that wouldn't have been possible if I'd never left Arendelle. And if I want my powers to keep doing wonderful things then I can't go back and simply lock them away again."

Anna's face also became serious again as she replied, "Elsa, no one's saying that you need to abandon your powers. Just… use them in moderation."

She felt herself grow angry again at that and gave her sister a small glare. "So you're saying I should reduce my abilities? Well it doesn't work like that, Anna. Either I contain them or let them be free. There really isn't any middle ground. And besides, believe it or not but someone actually likes my powers when they're at their highest potential."

The look on Anna's face suggested she already knew the answer to her question before she even said it, but she went ahead and asked, "Really? Who?"

"Aaron," Elsa replied, doing her best not to say his name fondly. "He thinks my powers are an amazing gift. In fact, he's the one who helped me to no longer be afraid of them."

Still Anna looked cynical as she said, "Sounds like Aaron's got it all figured out, then."

Smiling broadly, Elsa shook her head. "No. No he doesn't, but that's the beauty of it. I don't think even he fully understands his own abilities, but he doesn't let that stop him from using them freely. He isn't afraid of them like I was."

"And Aaron doesn't have anything to do with your reluctance to return to Arendelle?"

The question caught Elsa off guard and she gave Anna a quizzical look. "What are you saying?"

Anna gave a sigh and walked over to the railing. Turning to lean against it, she said, "I'm saying that it's not your powers that are keeping you here. I think it's your feelings for Aaron."

She couldn't help but feel a little offended by this suggestion. "What? Come on, Anna."

Her sister didn't back off, though. Instead she continued to press her point. "No, you come on, Elsa. Think about it. You're the queen, so you could still use your powers anyway and no one could tell you not to. But you're afraid that if you did go back to Arendelle he might not want to also go. And even if you did both go, things would still be different between you. Up here it's just the two of you and you can do whatever you like together, but down there you'll have to do things that are expected of you and that could change your relationship."

Elsa blinked a few times as she tried to process this. Then she opened her mouth to deny Anna's claim and said, "I…" before closing it again and looking down at the floor. Whether she liked it or not, a lot of what Anna had just said was true. She truly wanted to be with Aaron and as long as they remained here that was always a possibility. But at Arendelle things were less black and white. What if he didn't like the city? What if her role as queen came between them?

Seeing that her words had upset Elsa, Anna said quietly, "Hey. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"No, you're right," Elsa replied, looking up at Anna. "I may not like it, but you're right. Here things are so simple. But there, who knows? What if something happens? What if we…" She trailed off, unwilling to finish that thought.

"Well, do you love him?" Anna asked. When Elsa didn't respond she added, "Because if you do, it'll all be okay. Things will work out for the best. You'll see."

There it was, the question that had plagued her mind so much lately. Did she love Aaron? It seemed like such a simple question, but the more she thought about it the less sure she became. After a while and a great deal of thought Elsa looked off into the fog uncertainly and slowly said, "I… I don't know."

Anna gave her a reassuring smile. "That's a perfectly acceptable answer. Sometimes you just aren't sure how you feel."

This didn't help as much as it probably should have. Casting Anna an anxious look, she asked, "But how am I supposed to know? Is it something I have to realize over time or will I just recognize it one day?"

Giving a shrug, Anna said, "Honestly, I think it varies from person. But maybe you already love him and you just haven't realized it yet."

"And how am I supposed to know whether or not that's true?"

"Why don't you tell me about him? I might be able to tell from what you say."

"Um… okay." _I'm not sure how much this could help, but it's not like it could do any harm. Right?_ Her eyes grew distant as she thought about the man she'd come to know over the last few days."Well, he's noble. Always tries to do what he thinks is best for others. And he's very talented. Seriously, Anna, you should try his cooking if you get the chance, it's absolutely delicious. Then there's his own powers. While very dangerous if mishandled, he manages to make them be quite beautiful. He's done some of the most wondrous things I've ever seen with them. One minute he can be making a massive pillar of blazing fire, the next he forms it into a delicate glowing sphere no hotter than the midday sun. And he's so strong. His arms seem to be able to lift me without any effort and they're so-"

Realizing that she was saying something very embarrassing Elsa cut herself off and blushed. She also noticed that she was smiling fondly while describing Aaron and tried to straighten her face before looking at Anna. She'd expected laughter or at least some sort of ridicule, but instead her sister was just sitting there smiling.

"It sounds like you like him a lot," she said gently.

"Yeah…" Elsa said, smiling again before remembering the reason she'd told Anna any of this in the first place. "So… what do you think? Am I…?"

Laughing lightly, Anna replied, "Well it's hard to say. I mean, clearly you care about him. And you-"

Anna abruptly cut off in midsentence as she looked over Elsa's shoulder. Turning, she saw none other than Aaron walking towards them across the ballroom. His gait seemed almost reluctant and his face seemed nervous but her heart still gaze a slight flutter at the sight of him.

Quickly turning back to the fog, Elsa whispered to Anna, "Pretend we were talking about something else."

"Like what?" Anna muttered back, looking very amused as she watched Aaron approach.

"I don't know, just make something up."

Then she heard Aaron stop behind her and say, "Hello again, Anna. Good morning, Elsa." He seemed to say her name with trepidation.

Elsa elected to remain silent as Anna gave him a cordial nod. "Aaron." Then she smiled and added, "We were just talking about you."

Elsa's stomach gave a lurch when she heard this and she gave her sister a quick glare, thinking, _Why on earth would she tell him that? Traitor._

Anna's only response was to give her a humored look as Aaron said, "Really? Only saying good things, I hope."

"Oh yes. Elsa was just telling me how much she enjoys your cooking."

"Ah, that. Yeah, she always seems to like it a lot."

"And that she loves the fact that you're so muscular," Anna added with a grin.

Elsa's face became mortified and she squeezed her eyes closed. _Shut up Anna shut up Anna shut up Anna!_

Aaron's voice lost some of its confidence and he seemed to falter. "Oh… uh… thank you? I guess?"

"Hey, don't thank me, thank her. She's the one who said it."

_I'm going to kill you, Anna. I swear I'm going to kill you if you keep talking._

After a brief awkward pause Aaron said, "Um, well actually I was hoping to talk to Elsa." When Anna just continued to smile and didn't move, he added, "Alone, if you don't mind."

"Oh. Oh!" Anna gave a start and quickly stood up, smoothing out her dress nervously as she walked toward the door. "I'm sorry, I'm kind of being the third wheel right now, aren't I? I'll just go see what Kristoff's up to or something. And leave you two to it. Yeah, that's what I'll do. Right. Bye."

Elsa let out a quiet sigh of relief when she finally heard the door close behind her sister. But now it was just her and Aaron on the balcony and she was acutely aware that this was the first time they'd been alone together since dinner last night.

Aaron slowly stepped beside her, though he kept some distance between them. Looking out into the mist, he said, "Your sister can be real chatty when she wants to be."

Smiling, Elsa replied, "Yeah, she's always been like that. She'll talk your ear off if you let her."

Silence fell for a second before he asked, "So… did you really say those things about me or was she just saying that?"

Her cheeks blushed slightly and she glanced to her side. "Not in so many words… but yes, I did."

"Really?" He sounded amused as he said, "Well I'm glad you like my physique so much." Then the amusement faded and he bowed his head slightly. "Elsa, what I wanted to talk to you about is the fact that you're a… well, you know… you're a…" Aaron seemed to be extremely reluctant to say that last word, as though if he didn't say it then it wouldn't be true.

Turning towards him, Elsa looked at him straight on. "A queen?"

Nodding slowly, he met her gaze. "Yeah, that."

She gave a small sigh and looked at her hands. While she hadn't kept that information from him on purpose, she certainly hadn't expected him to react so poorly to it. When he'd first heard Anna say it last night he'd looked as though someone had just shot him. Granted, it probably would have been a great shock to her if it turned out he was an archduke or something, but she would have gotten over that. He still seemed to be having a hard time just acknowledging this part of her.

Still looking down at her hands, she said quietly, "Well, you already know how I feel about it. Despite the fact that I don't really have any desire to be queen I can't really change that. Besides, it doesn't really matter to me." Her eyes lifted to meet his. "All I want is for us to be together."

Unfortunately this only seemed to make Aaron more nervous rather than calming him down. Looking away and running a hand through his hair, he replied, "Yes, and I want that too. Badly. And I know I'm probably overreacting to this whole… queen thing." He paused for a moment and let his eyes drop before saying, "But. That said, it really does bother me and I'm having a hard time dealing with it."

Elsa felt slightly concerned at his words and frowned faintly. "Why?"

"Why?" He glanced at her before looking away again. "Because you're a queen, Elsa. You alone are in charge of an entire nation of people. You'll make some of the most important decisions of this generation. Not to mention that you'll have your pick of any suitor you like, from princes and dukes to even kings. And who am I? Just some guy from the mountains who happens to be handy with pyrotechnics."

She smiled slightly. "And what if I've already chosen my suitor?"

"People will talk. A queen and a commoner? It's… not normal."

Deciding she'd had enough of him looking away from her, Elsa reached out and placed her hand on his far cheek before slowly turning him until he was facing her. She then moved her hand up so that she softly caressed the side of his face. "Let them talk," she said gently. "It's not like anyone can stop us. And as long as we're happy, I won't care."

Aaron gazed at her with wonder for a moment before smiling as well. Reaching out with his own hand he lightly stroked her cheek and she tilted her head towards his warm touch. They stood there for a moment in the swirling fog, just looking into each other's eyes.

But then his eyes darkened as he seemed to remember something. Taking a step back and letting his hand drop, he looked down at the floor. Concerned at this sudden mood shift, Elsa slowly lowered her hand and asked, "What is it?"

Still looking down, he slowly said, "Well… there is one other… problem with you being a queen."

"What?"

His eyes looked back up at her and he seemed to grow uncertain. "Just promise me you're not going to …freak out or anything when I tell you."

Elsa almost rolled her eyes at his stalling, but this clearly had him upset so she did her best to remain poised. "I promise."

Aaron took a deep breath before continuing. "Say… say we were to get together. And that we stayed together for a long time. What would be the logical thing that we would eventually do?"

"Well, we'd probably get…" She paused as she realized she'd almost said a word she hadn't even considered with regards to Aaron. However, if they did stay together for long enough, it was a sensible conclusion, so she swallowed her anxiety and said, "We'd probably get married."

"Correct." He then seemed to notice what they were talking about and quickly put his hands up. "And this is all purely hypothetical. This sort of thing would be a ways down the road. I mean, it's not like I plan on proposing right now or anything like that."

Laughing at his sudden panic, Elsa replied, "Right. A ways down the road."

"Yeah." Aaron seemed to relax slightly. "But say we were to… you know, get married. Do you know what would happen?"

She shrugged and teased, "We'd live happily ever after?"

He smiled slightly. "Well, obviously. But besides that." His smile vanished. "Seriously."

Elsa frowned as she thought about it. Well, they would have to live together and other such things. But none of that had to do with her being a queen. Then it dawned on her what he was getting at and her eyes widened slightly. She looked at Aaron's nervous face and said, "You would be crowned king of Arendelle."

Aaron seemed to cringe when she said it out loud, as though he'd never actually said it, but nodded slightly. "Yes. Yes I would. But… Elsa…" He looked at the floor once more for a second before strengthening his resolve and meeting her eyes. "Elsa, I don't want to be a king."

It took several moments for Elsa to come up with a response. It seemed like such an irrational fear to have, as most men craved the chance to sit upon the throne. And even if it did happen, they'd already said that this was a long ways away so there would be plenty of time to prepare. Despite all that, though, the prospect of wearing the crown seemed to have Aaron terrified. So Elsa decided to respond as gently as possible.

"Aaron," she said quietly. "It's not such a big deal. I would be beside you to help you through it all. And I'm sure you would make a great king."

"But I don't even know the first thing about running a kingdom!" Aaron exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "I'm sure you spent most of your life being groomed to be a ruler, but I haven't even given it a single thought. What if there's a famine? Who do I give food to? What if we go to war with another kingdom? How do I handle that? What if-"

Elsa cut him off before he could continue. "Again, I would be there as well. You're right in assuming that I've been prepared to run a kingdom, so I'm sure we could handle whatever would happen. But Aaron, these fears are completely unfounded. Say you were crowned. That wouldn't be for a long time from now."

"Yeah, I know, I know," he said with a sigh, running a hand over his face. "I know I'm being an idiot right now, and while I really want to be yours, I know we wouldn't actually marry for a long time. But when I think of sitting on that throne…" He gave a small shudder.

Stepping up to him, Elsa took his hands in hers. She then looked into his eyes and said, "Aaron, that is a valid concern, but you're assuming bad things will happen way off in the future. Instead, why don't we just focus on the now and give this relationship a chance first? Just let you and I be together and let the future worry about itself for now."

After he said, "Yeah, that's probably for the best," she slipped both hands around him and hugged him close, letting her head rest against his chest and closing her eyes as she listened to his heart beat quietly. As she did this he slowly placed his arms around her and hugged her back.

They stood there for a moment when he said, "Wait. So… was that official? Should I start telling people that we're a couple now?"

Opening her eyes, Elsa smiled. "Yeah. I guess so."

"Huh. Should have brought that up sooner... In that case, though, there's something that we still need to do as a couple."

She looked up at him and saw that he was giving her an alluring smile. Returning the smile, she said gently, "Yes, I believe there is."

Her own heart quickened as he raised a hand and lightly brushed aside her hair. She took one of her hands and placed it on his chest, never looking away from his eyes, which seemed to burn brighter the closer she got. Lifting slightly on her toes, she leaned her lips towards his and closed her eyes.

They were about an inch apart when the door suddenly opened and Anna stepped out, saying, "Hey Elsa, where's the-" She froze when she saw them with their arms around each other and that both were staring daggers at her. Her hands flew to her mouth and she quickly backpedaled. "Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to- If I'd known I wouldn't have-" Anna paused inside the door and gave them an embarrassed "Sorry" before closing it.

Elsa couldn't help but laugh as Aaron glowered at the door. "I swear, if Anna does that a third time I think I'm going to kill her," he growled.

She place her hand behind his neck, drawing his attention back to her. Once he was looking at her she said, "Forget Anna," and quickly pressed her lips against his.

His entire body seized up in shock for a second before relaxing and he cupped his hand around her neck, drawing her deeper into the kiss. Heat seemed to surge through his body and the wind suddenly swirled around them but she kept her eyes firmly closed. It felt so good to finally feel his hot lips against hers that she felt like she could stay there forever, clinging to him with his hot arms around her.

After what seemed like an eternity they finally stopped kissing but she still kept her eyes closed and rested her forehead against him, breathing deeply as her heart beat faster than it ever had before. They stood there for several minutes until it managed to return to a normal pace. Then he laughed lightly and she opened her eyes to see that he was smiling.

"I can't begin to tell you how badly I've wanted to do that," Aaron said quietly.

"Me too," she replied, smiling back. "Want to do it again?"

He gave a slight smirk. "Sure." This time he initiated the kiss and her heart once more went into a flurry. The heat and wind returned but she was almost too busy enjoying the moment to even notice. The kiss lasted even longer than the first, but eventually they stopped and Elsa placed a hand on her chest in an effort to slow her hammering heart.

Laughing again, Aaron said, "Sorry if that was too exciting for you."

"No, I'm fine." Elsa let a broad smile cross her face. "More than fine, actually. I'm-" She stopped when she noticed that the fog that had once been so close around them dissipated considerably and the sun could even be seen shining through it.

"Huh," said Aaron as he noticed this. "Wonder if that was you or me."

"Have you ever effected the weather before?" she asked.

"Can't say that I have. Note to self, I'm going to have to try kissing you in the rain sometime just to see what happens."

She couldn't help but blush at the prospect of kissing Aaron again and stepped back, looking at the floor. "Just be sure to let me know ahead of time."

Shaking his head, he said, "Not a chance. How about a little spontaneity?" As she continued to look down he added, "Well, I should… I should probably go see what Anna wanted."

Elsa gave a short laugh. "Just make sure not to set her on fire or anything. She did apologize, after all."

Aaron chuckled as he walked to the door. "No promises." But before he went in he paused and turned back to give Elsa a long, happy look. She returned the look alluringly and it looked as though he was considering kissing her again before he finally opened the door and went inside.

Taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Elsa turned to look the revealed sunlight trickling down through the thinning mist. _Aaron and I finally kissed!_ she thought as she looked at the revealing landscape. And she'd actually had a real conversation with her sister for the first time in years. Could this day get any better?


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The world was a blur around Aaron. Despite the fact that two hours had passed since he'd kissed Elsa he was still deep within euphoria. He was so out of sorts that he had to enlist Anna and Kristoff to help make lunch, as he constantly found himself just staring off into space and smiling.

"Careful, Aaron. You almost cut your thumb off," Anna said, giving him a reproachful look.

"Hmm?" He came back to the real world long to enough focus on what he doing and saw that the knife he was using to dice a parsnip had nearly gone through his hand. "Oh, right. Thanks. Maybe I should pay a bit more attention," he said as he resumed chopping, this time keeping his hand well clear of the blade.

"Maybe." She shot him a smile. "Unless you want to become one-handed all of a sudden."

Finishing with the parsnip, he picked up the plate it was resting on and used his knife to swipe it into the boiling pot of stew sitting next to him, checking to make sure the fire beneath it wasn't burning too hot. As he did this he asked, "How're those leeks coming, Kristoff?"

Kristoff's response wasn't quite as confident as he would have liked. "What? Oh. Yeah, they're… they're coming."

Looking up, Aaron couldn't help but chuckle when he saw the mangled vegetables in front of him. Kristoff was trying his best to cut them neatly but that only seemed to make it worse.

Eventually Anna took pity on him, taking the knife from him. "Here, let me do it," she said.

He stepped away from the table and gestured towards the plate. "Be my guest. I told you, I'm not much help in a kitchen. I can cut you any amount of ice you like in any way you like, but vegetables? Forget it."

"In that case, if we ever need some ice and either Elsa's not around or it's not frozen outside, we'll let you know," Aaron replied.

He and Anna shared an amused glance as Kristoff shook his head. "Sure. Make fun of the guy who harvests ice for a living."

"Well, I personally like what you do. It's not easy and not everyone can do it," Anna said, patting his shoulder and giving him a sympathetic smile. Then she grinned and added, "But yeah, Elsa does kind of make your job obsolete."

Giving her a cynical look, Kristoff pulled out a chair and sat, saying, "Gee. Thanks. With friends like you guys it's a wonder I'm still in business."

They both laughed again as Anna slid the plate of now-diced leeks over to Aaron and he added them to the pot as well. "Alright," he said, "That about does it. Nothing to do now but let it do its thing for a little while. Thanks for the help you tw… thanks, Anna."

She nodded to him graciously as Kristoff threw up his hands and looked away. "You're welcome, Aaron," replied Anna. "How long do you think it will take?"

"Not long. A half hour, maybe."

Sitting in a chair beside Kristoff, she said, "I have to admit, it's kind of attractive seeing a guy who knows how to cook so well. Elsa's a lucky woman."

"You may want to try eating it before you give me too much praise. And besides, I'm the lucky one."

"How so?"

Taking a seat across from them while keeping an eye on the pot, Aaron said, "How often do you meet someone as extraordinary as her while wandering around the mountains? But I guess I'm not as lucky as I thought."

Anna became quizzical. "What do you mean?"

"Well, whenever it seems we're about to do something special, someone interrupts us." He gave Anna a fake glare as he said this.

"Hey, I said I was sorry," she replied with her own false frown. "Besides, you're the ones doing that stuff in public places."

"Public?" He looked out the window at the surrounding landscape. "How much less public could this place be?"

"Not my fault. That's all I'm saying."

Aaron and Kristoff shared a weary look but decided to drop it. It wasn't easy arguing with Anna. Her friendly smile and pleasant demeanor were just too disarming. Instead, he said, "So Kristoff told me that you're engaged to be married."

Kristoff seemed to stiffen slightly at the subject change but Anna didn't notice. "Yup. As soon as possible."

Giving her a small nod, Aaron said, "Well, in that case I guess congratulations are in order."

"Thank you. I'm so excited!" She almost shook with glee.

He smirked slightly at her zeal, saying, "That's good, I suppose. Why bother if you're not excited? What was his name again?"

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."

"And would you consider him to be a good man?"

Anna hesitated on this question. "Well, of course I do. Why would I be marrying him otherwise?"

"Oh, I'm sure you both have your reasons." Pausing, he allowed his face to become serious. "But Kristoff also told me that you've only known this man for a day."

Anna's enthusiasm evaporated almost as fast as it had come and she gave him a suspicious look. "So? If its true love then it doesn't matter how long it's been."

Nodding slightly, he replied, "True. That is a valid point. But it's kind of hard to tell if it's really true love after one day."

She gave an irritated sigh and glanced at Kristoff. "That's what you and Elsa said as well. Why can't anyone just accept the fact that we're happy together?"

Kristoff's voice was soft as he said, "We just want what's best for you, Anna. That's all."

"Well, Hans is what's best for me. And you said so yourself that you don't know anything about true love."

"No, but my friends-"

"Oh, right. The 'love experts'. But are you a love expert?" When Kristoff remained silent she turned back to Aaron. "Are you a love expert? Because if not, then you don't actually know any better than I, do you?"

Instead of answering right away, Aaron looked down at the table intently. After some thought, he said, "I may not be a 'love expert', as you call it, in the way that you're thinking. But I do know a thing or two about love."

She hadn't expected that. "Really? Were you in a serious relationship before you met Elsa?"

Looking up at her, Aaron replied, "Again, it wasn't love in the romantic sense, but it was love. And love acts basically the same no matter who it's for."

"Well, if it wasn't some woman, then who did you love?"

He smiled slightly. "My sister."

Kristoff cut in. "I didn't know you had a sister."

Aaron shrugged. "I don't talk about my past much. But, while it wasn't like what you and Hans have, Anna, I loved my sister with all my heart. I would have given the world just to see her smile every day. I'd do anything for her." He smiled as he thought of a particular memory. "Like this one time. I used to work at the docks for whatever pay I could get, and I'd be there all day every day so when I got home I'd be exhausted."

"Well, this one night I came home during a thunderstorm. She would normally go to bed hours before I got home, but on this night she was awake because my sister was deathly afraid of thunder and lightning, so I found her cowering under the sheets of her bed, wishing the storm would go away. I'd already had a long day and wanted nothing more to go to sleep in my own bed as I had to get up early the next morning for work. But that's not what I did. Instead, I found her favorite book, a collection of fables, and climbed in with her. There, safe from the thunder under the blankets, I read to her by the light of my fire into the late hours of the morning until the storm passed and she was finally able to fall asleep. While I myself didn't get any sleep that night, it was worth it to make my sister feel safe."

He paused for a moment when he was done, thinking fondly about that night. That was one of his favorite memories from his childhood, and while the next day was hell it had been worth every minute. Remembering that he had a point to make, he shook his head slightly and looked to Anna.

"So you see, Anna, love isn't just what you feel in your heart. While that is important, love is so much more than that. It's… putting someone else's needs before yours. Learning to trust them no matter what. And loving them for who they are, not who you wish they could be."

Anna and Kristoff remained silent for several seconds after Aaron finished talking. Both seemed surprised by his story and weren't sure what to say, until Anna finally said, "Wow. I never realized you could be so… compassionate, Aaron."

Shrugging again, he replied, "Like I said, I'd do anything for my sister."

"So… so what happened to her?"

Aaron frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you keep talking about her in the past tense, which means that you no longer see her and that something must have happened."

He turned his attention to the pot of soup and started to stir it slowly with a ladle. "Eh, it's a long story and I really don't feel like getting into it right now. Let's just say that my sister and I went our separate ways." Taking out a spoonful, he took a small sip. "Mm. This is pretty much done."

They both seemed to take the hint that he didn't want to talk about it and wisely let the subject drop. Anna appeared to be deep in thought about his story, probably with regards to her Hans, while Kristoff also had his attention on the soup.

Taking advantage of the break in the conversation, Aaron set the ladle aside and said, "Alright, I'm going to call this stew ready. Maybe it could use a pinch of salt, but what are you going to do? How about you two set the table while I go get Elsa. And Olaf." He paused for a second. "Come to think of it, where is he? I haven't seen him all day."

Kristoff frowned as he started setting out four bowls. "Yeah, neither have I. But he does have this habit of just wandering around wherever he likes, so he'll probably turn up. I wouldn't worry about it."

"Hmm." He thought about it a second longer before shrugging. "Oh well." Standing from the table, he made his way from the dining room and towards where he'd last seen Elsa on the balcony. But he didn't have to cross the ballroom to see that she wasn't out there. _Now where is she at?_

He was about to go knock on the door to her room when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Walking into the hallway, he smiled when he saw her enter it as well. "Ah, there you are. Perfect timing, the rest of us were about to eat."

She returned the smile and took a deep breath, smelling the air. "Smells good. What are we having?" Elsa asked as she walked over next to him.

"Pheasant and parsnip stew. I think you'll like it."

"When have I ever not liked something you've made? Now come on." She took his hand softly in hers and guided him towards the dining room. "Let's get in there before my sister eats it all."

To her credit, Anna hardly reacted when she saw they were holding hands despite the fact that she clearly wanted to say something about it. Instead, she merely said, "Ah, Elsa. Good. Now we can eat."

They all settled in to opposite sides of the table with both Aaron and Kristoff holding out chairs for the women, both of whom accepted graciously. Aaron then ladled out stew for everyone and they dug in.

As they ate, Aaron looked to Elsa. "So where did you go?" he asked between bites.

"Well, after our… moment on the balcony." She paused to give Anna a look, who responded by grinning sheepishly. "I decided to go for a walk. To clear my head and see some more of this mountain we're on."

"Anything worth noting?" Kristoff asked.

"Actually, there was something I saw that was quite spectacular," she said, looking at him. "Not too far down the slope from here. A large frozen waterfall that drops all the way to the valley below, though I couldn't find its source."

"Hmm. There must be a natural spring higher up," Aaron replied.

"That's what I thought. Maybe I'll go looking for it again tomorrow."

"I wouldn't mind seeing a sight like that," Kristoff said before he enjoyed another spoonful of soup.

Aaron smiled slightly. "Neither would I. You want to go look for it after we're done eating? Shouldn't take too long."

"Sure. And it'll be good for Sven."

"Oh yeah." He'd completely forgotten that Kristoff had apparently brought a reindeer with him. "Still haven't met this Sven."

"Don't worry, you'll like him. Everybody does."

They both paused when Anna gave a small chuckle. Turning to her, Kristoff asked, "What?"

She gave him a smile. "Look at you two. Haven't even known each other a full day and already you're planning hiking trips together."

"So?" Aaron replied as he and Kristoff glanced at each other. "We're both nice enough. And besides, we mountain folk have to stick together."

"Right," agreed Kristof, grinning. "Too many of you city people coming up the slopes."

"Oh, well excuse me if we ladies are bringing down your manliness," Anna said with mock chagrin. "If it weren't for us being here you two wouldn't last a week."

"Ladies? Who said anything about the fact that you're ladies?" He paused and added, "But you're probably right that whole week thing."

Aaron nodded sagely. "Almost certainly. If not, who would there be to eat our food, or to tell us that we smell bad? To live without a woman to guide us would be madness."

Elsa laughed and lightly slapped his arm. "Alright, you've had your fun," she said. "Just remember that if you ever need a favor from either of us."

The conversation continued back and forth between them for a while, though it eventually turned into Anna and Kristoff talking to each other intently while Elsa and Aaron watched with mild amusement, occasionally whispering something to one another. The stew didn't last very long as everyone eventually had seconds and before Aaron knew it he was scraping the bottom of the pot, trying to put together one last portion but to no avail.

Setting the pot aside, he gave a small sigh. Then he felt Elsa's hand take his and give it a squeeze. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll make something good tomorrow," she said teasingly.

Giving her playful look, he replied, "It's always me doing the cooking, isn't it? Maybe I should have you do it tomorrow."

"Oh, I don't think you want that. I never really learned to cook."

"That's what you said about dancing, and I remember that going well. And don't worry. I'll be right beside you to help." He gave her a fond smile.

She returned the smile and they gazed at each other warmly for a few minutes before Aaron became aware of the fact that the other two had stopped talking. He turned to look at them and saw they were both looking at him and Elsa. Anna had was wearing a small smirk as she said, "So that's official now, I guess."

"What?"

Anna looked pointedly at their joined hands.

"Oh, that," he said after he followed her eyes.

Elsa glanced at Anna before returning her attention to Aaron. "Yes, it's official. We both decided that we'd had enough of beating around the bush."

"That's great!" Anna's expression turned anxious. "So, Aaron, given your new relationship with Elsa, I don't suppose that you would consider moving back to Arendelle with her."

She never got the answer to her question, however, as at that moment the door opened and the little snowman walked in, chuckling to himself. "Oh, hey guys!" he said when he saw them all, smiling broadly.

"Hey, Olaf," Kristoff replied. "Where have you been all this time?"

"Me." He gave a small stretch and a yawn. "Oh, I was just having the most wonderful dream."

"Wait." Anna looked at him bewilderedly. "But Olaf, you don't sleep."

"Me? No," the snowman said as he walked down the table and climbed into the chair at the end. "But what's dreaming have to do with sleep?"

"Well, that's what you do when you sleep. You dream."

"Really?" Olaf got a confused look on his face. "So I guess that's why Kristoff mutters to himself when he's asleep. Because he's dreaming?"

All eyes slowly turned to Kristoff, who instantly flushed red and glanced around nervously. Turning back to Olaf, Anna asked excitedly, "So what's he talk about?"

"Oh, all kinds of stuff! About how much he loves ice. How pretty the sun is on a midsummer day. And about how you-"

"Okay!" Kristoff exclaimed, standing up and clapping his hands together. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm pretty full. And if we're going to do that hike today, Aaron, we should probably take care of these dishes before it starts to get late."

"A hike? Can I come?!" Olaf asked eagerly.

He cast Olaf a glance. "Uh, sure. I can't think of any reason why not."

"Agreed," said Aaron. "At the very least we can make sure you don't wander off again." He reached for his bowl but Elsa beat him to it.

"I don't think so," she said as she too stood. "You always do the dishes, Aaron. This time I'm going to do them."

Letting out a sigh, he looked at the floor and shook his head dejectedly. "Now I'm not allowed to even do my own dishes. I had hopped for so much more from this relationship."

Kristoff let out a laugh as Elsa rolled her eyes. "Alright, you two. Now go do your hike."

"Yes ma'am," Aaron replied, standing with a stretch. "You don't have to tell me twice. Come on Kristoff, Olaf. And don't worry, we'll be back before dark." Before he left, though, he leaned over and laid a quick kiss on Elsa's cheek. She flashed him a surprised look and he smiled, giving her a wink. "See you soon, Elsa," he said quietly.

Her eyes darted back to the table as she breathlessly said, "Bye."

Realizing that the other two were already in the hall, he headed for the door, giving Anna a small wave as he went. Shutting it behind him, he jogged after the pair as they made for the stairs. "Hey, Olaf! What was that thing you were going to say about Kristoff's dreams?"


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

The staining rays of the sun raked across the cloud bank far overhead as the sun began to make its final decent towards the horizon. While the stars wouldn't emerge for several more hours, Elsa could just make out the moon as it peaked over the mountains in the east. Completely full, it glowed brightly in the sun's light.

She stood alone on the balcony, listening to the wind whip around her as it coursed through the hills and feeling the last rays of the sun play across her skin before they vanished for the night. Breathing in the crisp mountain air, she reflected on the place that she was now standing at.

So much had happened on this balcony over the days. It was here when she first came into her own and accepted her powers, for good or ill. This was where Aaron had shown his power to her, from collapsing fire into a physical form to revealing that he possessed the ability to fly. They'd both lain here that first night and admired the beauty of the sky, both so uncertain of what the coming days would hold. And, most recently, it was on this balcony where they'd shared their first kiss, the single greatest moment of her life.

As she thought back on all the memories she couldn't help but smile. Her time here was so different from the rest of her life she was having a hard time remembering how she'd even lived before she came here. To have dwelled in fear and pain for so long and to now feel joy, freedom and even hope every minute of each day. And Anna wondered why she was reluctant to return to Arendelle.

The smile slowly vanished as she reflected on her sister. _What to do about Anna?_ she thought. Anna was such a joy to be around and Elsa appreciated everything she'd sacrificed for her over the years, but it just wasn't safe for Anna at the palace. Elsa was still learning how to wield her abilities and Aaron had admitted that even he was prone to lapses in control from time to time. What if Anna was around when something bad happened? _No. I'm not going to go through that again._

While Elsa truly enjoyed having her sister here, she knew Anna would have to leave. She had to return to Arendelle, hopefully sooner rather than later. The real problem was how Elsa was going to convince Anna to leave without her.

Then, as if her thoughts had summoned her, Elsa heard Anna's voice behind her. "Any sign of the guys?"

Glancing over her shoulder, Elsa said, "Not yet."

"Huh. Well, they better hurry," Anna replied, joining her by the railing. "They said they would be back before nightfall and the sun's starting to set.

"Don't worry. The sun won't actually set for a couple more hours. One of the perks of living on top of a mountain. We're the first to see it rise and the last to see it fall."

Smiling, Anna said, "Well, Kristoff is always talking about how much he likes the mountains. Maybe that has something to do with it."

"Maybe. Aaron would probably say the same thing," Elsa replied. "Of course, the thin air could just be addling their brains."

"Elsa, you forget. They're men."

Casting Anna a confused glance, she asked, "So?"

Anna tried to look serious before cracking into a wide grin. "What brains?"

They both looked at each other for a moment before breaking down in laughter. Elsa had to give Anna this, she could be pretty good with a joke every now and then. Eventually their laughter faded away and they stood together silently, watching the distant moon rise.

It was in this silence that Elsa decided to make her move. _Better sooner rather than later, right? _She drew in a deep breath before giving Anna a sober look. "Actually, Anna, there is something else I wanted to talk to you about."

Looking away from the moon, Anna gave her an encouraging smile. "What is it?"

Her expression was so happy Elsa couldn't bear to look at her any longer. Instead, she looked down at the floor, saying, "I think you and Kristoff should head back to Arendelle in the morning."

Anna's voice sounded hurt and surprised as she asked, "What? Why?"

"Because you don't belong here," she replied quietly. "Here, alone in the mountains, this is for people like Aaron and I. Where we can do whatever we like and be who we are. Here we can be one with our powers without fear. Someone like you, though, belongs down in the city with other people."

"Don't… don't you like having me here?"

Elsa looked back to her sister and gave her a warm smile, saying, "Of course I do. Today was a wonderful day, and you're my sister, so I'll always be happy to see you. But this just isn't the life for you, Anna. We both know you should be in Arendelle."

When Anna's face remained saddened, she decided to try a different angle. "Think about it, Anna. There's so much someone like you can do in a city, and you have your whole life ahead of you to do it. You can open up the gates and enjoy the sun for as long as you want every day. Or you can go swimming in the ocean and boating through the fjord. You could even go to the market and just talk to other people."

Shaking her head, Anna said, "But without you… what would be the point, Elsa?"

"I'll still be right here, Anna. It's not like I'm going anywhere, so you could always come back and visit from time to time. And you'll still have Kristoff to do all these things with."

Anna gave a small sniff and wiped her nose. "And Hans."

Her smile faltered slightly when she remembered her sister's fiancée. But she was starting to come around, so Elsa just went with it. "Uh, sure. Him too."

She looked like she was about to agree with Elsa, but then Anna appeared to remember something and shook her head. "No, Elsa. I can't just leave you here and go back to Arendelle."

Waving her off, Elsa tried to put on a fake smile and said, "Don't worry about me. I have Aaron to keep me company, and as long as we have each other we'll be okay."

"That's not what I meant. We need you there." Anna now almost looked stern, and it was clear she wasn't wavering anymore on whether or not to go back.

Seeing Anna's mood change and knowing she wasn't going to give anytime soon, Elsa turned away and walked inside, giving a weary sigh as she went. "I'm not going back, Anna. I know you mean well but just leave me be. No one there needs me, queen or otherwise. No, as long as I stay here you'll be safe from me."

"Actually, we're not."

Those words brought her up short and she stopped. _Wait. What did she just say?_ Elsa sent a glance over her shoulder and asked, "What do you mean you're not?"

Anna's voice became confused as she said, "Well… you know… with the weather like this…"

"What about the weather?" asked Elsa, turning to look at her sister. "As long as it's just around the North Mountain it can't hurt anyone." When Anna didn't respond, she added, "Right?"

As she said this realization dawned on Anna's face, followed by shock. "I… I thought you knew," she whispered.

A concerned expression crossed her face as Elsa asked, "Knew what? What's happened, Anna?"

"Elsa, you..." Anna paused, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Opening them again, she gave Elsa a sad look. "You put Arendelle in an eternal winter."

Elsa's eyes widened in horror as the weight of Anna's words hit her and she took a step back. _No… that's impossible. That simply can't…_ As her mind tried to come to grasp with this she could feel the ice around her begin to shift and writhe and the wind began to blow. But, despite all the terrors flashing through her thoughts, all she could manage to say was one dread filled word.

"What?"


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

The sun was just starting to turn red as the party made their way up the mountain. Aaron and Kristoff were walking side by side while Olaf lay on Sven's back, watching the clouds are trying to guess what they looked like.

"Hmm, that one's a flower. And that's a ship… ooh, look! A bunny!" Looking at them, he exclaimed, "Guys, look at the bunny!"

Neither paid him much heed, though. This wasn't the first time he'd tried to get them to look at a particular cloud that day, and most of the time it turned out they didn't look like much of anything.

The reindeer gave a huph when the snowman continued to insist that they look and Kristoff patted his head lightly. "You said it, Sven."

Aaron had to admit, he liked Sven. The only experience he'd previously had with caribou was hunting them through the frigid alpine. Of course, he'd elected to keep that knowledge to himself. But this particular reindeer was very friendly. Especially to Olaf, but that might have been because he had a certain affinity for the snowman's carrot nose. Even though he never actually said anything, though, Kristoff seemed to understand him well enough.

"What did he say?" Aaron asked, glancing sideways at Sven.

"That maybe we should have left Olaf at the cliff when we had the chance."

"Guys! Why aren't you looking?! It's a bunny! Wait, now it's more of a moose… Look! Another bunny!"

Giving a sigh and shaking his head, Aaron replied, "Wishful thinking. We should remember to do that next time."

They rounded the final bend and came in sight of the ice palace and Aaron smiled when he saw it glimmering in the light of the dying sun. It was just as beautiful as the first time he'd seen it, only now with more crimson splayed across its surface.

"That place really is beautiful, isn't it?" Kristoff said, following his gaze.

"C'mon guys, look! I'm serious this time! It's a whole fleet of bunnies!"

"Yeah," Aaron said to Kristoff. "You should have seen me when I first saw it. I thought I was in a dream or something."

"Me too," he replied. "I almost cried when I first saw it."

"Okay, I'm just going to keep talking until one of you look! Guys, guys, guys, guys!"

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Kristoff looked up. "Yes, Olaf. Bunnies. I see them. Wonderful," he said. He was looking back down when something caught his eye. "Hey, look. It's starting to snow."

Aaron froze in his tracks and gave Kristoff a sharp glance. "What did you just say?"

Kristoff gave him a confused look but didn't ask questions. Instead, he repeated, "I said, it's starting to snow. Look."

Turning his gaze skyward, Aaron saw that there were in fact little white flakes starting to drift down from the heavens. He felt his gut clench at the sight of it as apprehension seared through his mind.

"Oh, pretty!" Olaf said, sitting up as he looked at the sky. "I love it when it snows!"

"I know, right?" replied Kristoff, smiling. "It's my favorite kind of weather. How about you Aaron?... Aaron?" That was when they noticed that Aaron hadn't spoken or even moved. He was just standing there watching the flakes fall with a nervous look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Kristoff asked, concerned by Aaron's expression. But he was too deep in thought to hear Kristoff's question. Instead, he was remembering two recent events as his thoughts filled with dread.

To his knowledge it had only snowed twice recently, and both times just so happened to coincide with when Elsa was feeling fearful. The first time had been a ragging blizzard that had lasted for several days, just after she'd fled the events in Arendelle. The second was a considerably shorter storm, lasting a few minutes and only falling on the North Mountain when she thought she'd hurt Aaron with her powers. If it was suddenly snowing now, though, that could only mean…

Aaron's eyes turned to the gleaming palace and saw that, as he feared, the storm was beginning to swirl around it. And that was where Elsa was. Alone with Anna. When he managed to speak, the words came out as a whisper.

"Oh no."

With that he started running. Not looking to see if Kristoff was following, he sprinted towards the palace as fast as he could. Flames began to jut from his arms and legs as panic quickly nestled into his mind. _No no no No NO!_ He came to a halt beside the ravine and looked up at the palace, seeing swirling snow inside the open door to the ballroom. If Elsa was in the palace, that would be where she was.

Rather than heading for the front door, though, twin plumes of fire erupted from his back, quickly forming into wings as he leapt into the air. It only took a few beats before he could reach the balcony's railing and he vaulted over it, rushing towards the door as his wings evaporated as quickly as they had formed. Though he had expected the worst, nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

While it was only lightly snowing outside a massive hurricane of ice and snow filled the ballroom, with squalling winds so fierce they nearly blew Aaron backwards. The noise it was making was deafening and the swirling snow was so thick that he couldn't even see the far wall. Putting up his hands to try and block out the flurries, he peered into the storm and could just make out two figures. To his right on one side of the room was Anna, who was also trying to fight the growing power of the tempest. She appeared to be shouting something, but he couldn't make out her words. And there, at the center of the wailing cyclone, was Elsa.

She had her eyes closed and her hands clenched into fists as she slowly turned on the spot, a look of terror on her face. The wind whipped and tore at her hair and cape as it spiraled around her but she didn't seem to notice. Instead, she appeared to be completely focused on the battle within her mind as she desperately tried to fight the ragging forces around her.

Taking in the room at a glance, Aaron looked at her sister. She only made things worse by being here, but there was nothing he could do to help her at the moment. All he could do was yell, "Get back, Anna!" and wave for her to step away. He had to shout at the top of his lungs just to be heard over the howling wind.

She squinted at him through the blizzard and shook her head. "But I-"

"NO!" bellowed Aaron, cutting her off. "Get back NOW!"

Without waiting to see if she complied he turned his attention back to Elsa and resumed walking forward, battling the wind as best he could. It buffeted him with every step and ripped at his clothes but he didn't let it stop him from advancing. After a few steps he shouted, "Elsa?! Elsa, can you hear me?!"

She turned towards his voice but took shrank away from him. "No! Get away from me!"

Forcing his way closer, he yelled back, "Elsa, it's alright! You're going to be okay!"

By then he was only a few steps from her. Raising a hand, he reached out towards her in an effort to take her hand. But before he could frost suddenly started to form across his hand, biting painfully into his flesh. Drawing back with an agitated grimace, he glared down at his frozen hand. He hadn't expected it, but the storm was growing so strong that even he was starting to freeze.

Clenching it into a fist, Aaron let his hand be bathed in fire, incinerating the accumulated ice. Then he reached out again, keeping the fire burning. As he did this he shouted, "Don't give in to fear, Elsa! You can control it!"

She took a step away from him, still not opening her eyes and crying, "Aaron, please, you'll only make it worse! Just get away, you're not safe here!"

Pursuing her doggedly, he yelled, "I'm not going anywhere! Whatever happened, we can fix it together!"

Elsa turned from him and shook her head. "No!"

Taking a step closer, he continued to reach out to her. "Please, Elsa! Just let me help you!"

His hand was just about to touch hers when she suddenly raised her fists to her head and gave one final twist of agony. The storm began to collapse in around her and she gave a loud scream. "I CAN'T!"

Shock filled Aaron's eyes as he saw what was coming and looked at Anna. He had just enough time to raise a wall of flames between her and them before the swirling ice around Elsa exploded outward in a single massive wave. Hitting him square in the chest, it struck with enough force to lift him from his feet and send him crashing to the floor. He landed heavily on his back and his head snapped backwards, smashing against the ice. Spots instantly swirled into his vision and he lay stunned for several seconds, trying to regain his senses.

As he lay on the ice, though, he noticed something far more troubling than his head. For the first time in his life he couldn't feel a fire burning deep within his heart. Instead, all he could feel was a deep and impenetrable cold where the heat should have been.

Trying to summon a flame, Aaron frowned when nothing happened. Had Elsa somehow snuffed out his fire? The second attempt yielded similar results and he felt himself start to panic. Something was definitely wrong. Then, on the third try, he felt fire burst forth and flow through his veins. Collapsing around his heart, it assaulted the cold that dwelled there in an effort to eradicate it. And while it quickly gave way to the encroaching heat, he could still feel one last small cluster of ice that refused to melt away. He was about to focus in on it when Elsa's worried voice distracted him.

"A-Aaron?"

Realizing that he had just been laying on the floor and not moving for several seconds, he quickly heaved himself onto his feet. He then noticed that moving so fast was a mistake as he instantly became dizzy and wavered slightly. Once he'd regained his balance he rubbed the back of his head and gave Elsa a reassuring look. "It's alright, I'm fine. Just hit my head is all."

When the panic in her eyes didn't abate at his words he allowed his face to become serious and started walking towards her. Elsa looked like she was deciding whether or not to flee but he quickly caught both of her hands in his before she could go anywhere and looked deep into her eyes. Speaking with the most soothing tone he could muster, he said, "Honestly, Elsa. I'm alright. You didn't hurt me."

She looked at him fearfully for a moment before her eyes finally began to calm, though her voice remained hesitant. "I thought… I thought… when you didn't move that I had…" she said before trailing off.

Aaron smiled slightly and shook his head. "I was just slightly stunned. The floor's harder than you'd think."

Anna's voice cut in before he could continue. "I'm fine too, by the way. In case anyone was wondering."

He looked over at her and smiled again. Sure enough, she looked no worse for wear. At least his fire had managed to protect her. "Well, that's a relief. I'm glad you're okay, Anna," he replied.

Turning grave again, he looked back to Elsa and asked, "So what happened? What caused all this?"

Her face became terrified again at his words and she looked away from him. "Anna told me that Arendelle's… frozen."

"What?" His eyes darted back to Anna, who nodded solemnly, but that didn't help his confusion. _How is that even possible? The city's over twenty leagues from here!_ he thought. But no matter how he approached this problem, there were really only two options. Either Anna was mistaken in her claim or she was telling the truth and Elsa's powers were far more powerful than he'd first thought.

No matter which was true, though, it ultimately didn't matter. At that moment, all that mattered was keeping Elsa calm, lest she start to panic again. And having Anna there certainly wasn't helping.

"So what are you going to do, Elsa?" she asked, looking nervous.

The ice around them began to suddenly shift and crack at her words and he felt Elsa stiffen. Giving Anna a hard stare, he said, "Enough, Anna. Leave her alone for now."

Looking confused, she replied, "What? You know this needs to be fixed as soon as possible."

"But she's not going to fix it right this second and talking about it now isn't going to help. So leave it be."

"But-"

Aaron had had enough. Glowering at Anna, he shouted, "I said ENOUGH!" As he did this he stomped his foot on the floor and flames shot out around him. He instantly regretted losing his temper, though, as Elsa jumped slightly and tried to pull away from him. Rather than letting go, he drew her in closer and sighed. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I didn't mean to startle you."

At that moment he heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see Kristoff and Olaf jog into the room. "Ah, good," he said when he saw them. "Kristoff, you need to take Anna and leave. Right now. Get out of here."

Kristoff gave him a puzzled look and was about to ask something when they heard a loud creaking sound. Looking up, Aaron saw that the cracks that arced through the pillars were now reaching all the way to the ceiling, fanning out as they went. Still looking up, he said, "Don't ask questions. Just go."

Kristoff was also watching the walls around them shift as he said, "Good idea. Come on, Anna. We need to go."

Placing a hand on Anna's shoulder, he tried to turn her towards the door, but she shrugged him off. Giving Aaron a fierce glare, she said, "No, I'm not going anywhere until we figure this out."

Aaron let his gaze turn cold as he looked down at her, replying, "Anna, you need to leave this palace immediately. It's no longer safe for you here, and every second you stay only makes things worse."

"No!" Anna looked at her sister and desperately said, "I know we can figure this out together!"

Elsa looked at her with a fearful stare. "How? What power do you have to stop this winter? To stop me?"

Drawing in a deep breath, Anna took a step forward. "I'm not leaving without you, Elsa."

Elsa's eyes turned hard in response and she took a step away from Aaron, raising her hands. "Yes, you are," she replied, casting her hands at the floor. A sudden swirl of frost formed, but it was what emerged from the frost that caused Aaron to take a step back.

Rising out of the mist was a creature the likes of which he'd never seen. It was made from snow and ice like Olaf, but that was where the similarities ended. Towering over them all at a height of over ten feet with arms thicker than Aaron's chest and legs as large as tree trunks, it continued to rise until finally forming into what appeared to be a massive ice golem. Its eyes flashed blue for a moment before it slowly turned and looked at Elsa.

Looking up at her creation and gesturing towards Anna and Kristoff, she said, "Remove them from the palace."

The golem seemed to consider this for a moment before slowly nodding and saying in a deep voice, "Okay." It then turned with far greater speed that Aaron would have thought possible for a creature so big and scooped up the pair in one hand before they could even move. Ignoring their protests, it began lumbering towards the door.

"Hey! Put them down, you big bully!" yelled Olaf, chasing after it and wailing on one of its legs with his tiny little arms. The golem hardly even paused as it picked him up with its other hand and kept walking.

"No! Elsa!" Anna cried, looking back her. "Don't do this! Let me help you!" She continued shouting until the beast stepped from view and her voice gradually faded.

After watching them go, Aaron looked back to Elsa, expecting her to be angry or scared again. Instead, though, she just looked sad as she watched the door and whispered, "Goodbye, Anna."

Stepping beside her, he laid a hand gently on her shoulder and sighed. "It's for the best, Elsa. Anna will be safer as long as she's not here."

Elsa turned her head slightly towards him, blinking back tears. "I know," she replied quietly. "But that doesn't make it any easier." She then turned to him, the fear returning. "What am I going to do, though? I can't just leave Arendelle to freeze!"

Aaron gave her a long look before reaching out and slowly drawing her into a hug. She resisted slightly at first before giving in and resting her head against his chest. "I know," he said softly, feeling her tremble slightly in his arms. "Don't worry, though. We'll think of something. We won't leave the people of Arendelle to their fate."

They stood there for several minutes until she finally started to calm down and closed her eyes. He gave her a small smile before looking at the warped ice around them and frowned slightly. While he was sure they could think of a way to end this winter, they'd better do it quickly, or else they might be too late to save anyone. As he thought this he felt the small patch of ice in his heart give a throb.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Elsa stared bleakly at the ceiling above her bed. The first light of the sun wasn't shinning yet, but there was no way that she could fall back to sleep. Whenever she did her dreams were plagued with the people of Arendelle. Trapped in an eternal winter.

With a sigh she slowly slipped out from under her sheets and set her feet on the floor. Sitting in the darkness, she let the fear she'd felt the day before wash over her. How could she have been so foolish, assuming her powers didn't reach the city? Now people could be freezing to death because of her and there was nothing she could do about it.

The ice around her was just starting to shift to her thoughts when a small glimmer of light caught her eye. Looking at the table beside her bed, she saw her flame shard resting there. Still shinning and rippling with fire, it stood out like a beacon in the dark.

She slowly reached out and picked it up from the table, letting its heat play across her skin. Something about this little sphere always soothed her, let her clear her thoughts. Maybe it was the fact that it was constant and unfailing. No matter what happened around it, the fire within it continued to burn as brightly as ever. Or maybe it was because Aaron had given it to her and it reminded her of him. Like it, he too was warm and strong, always standing firm against the storm.

As she looked into the shard's molten depths she felt her fears slowly begin to abate and the ice around her resettle. Then it occurred to her. Maybe Aaron had thought of some way to end this winter. He always seemed to know more about what their powers than she did, so there was a chance he'd come up with an answer. At the very least he could give her some hope, which was something she needed desperately at that moment.

Setting the shard back on the table, she quickly set about getting dressed and twining her hair back into its normal braid. Once that was done she stepped out into the hall and walked to the door to his room. To her surprise, it was ajar and Aaron was nowhere to be seen inside. All there was was his supplies and possessions piled in one corner and his bedroll in the other. _Where could he be this early in the morning?_

She found her answer soon enough when she walked towards the ballroom. Quietly pacing around the room, Aaron had his head bowed and arms crossed as he walked. It looked like he was deep in thought. So deep that he didn't even see her. It was only after his second pass by the door he finally noticed her standing there and stopped.

"Elsa," he said with surprise. "I… I didn't expect you to be up this early."

Stepping into the room, she gave a quiet sigh. "I couldn't sleep. You?"

Aaron gave her a grim nod before resuming his walk. "Kind of hard to sleep, knowing what's happening in Arendelle."

"Well, actually I wanted to talk to you about that," she said, causing him to stop again and look at her. Looking at the floor, Elsa quietly asked, "I don't suppose you've thought of anything that could help stop this winter?"

"No, unfortunately." His voice was grave as he spoke. "I don't know your powers well enough to have an answer. Instead, I'm just trying to remember what you've done in the past."

Giving him a puzzled look, she asked, "How would that help?"

"Well, if I already saw you do something to abate the weather or remove snow, then we could figure out what exactly it was that you did and try it on a larger scale."

"What, like when I dissolve ice back into the air?"

"No," he replied, shaking his head. "This would have to be more powerful than that. The problem is that you might not have realized you were doing it at the time."

"Oh." She fell silent as he started pacing again and tried to think. Had she ever done anything with the weather intentionally? Not that she could remember. Whenever her powers caused it to snow or something similar it was always by accident. Like a side effect. And the weather always became worse in these moments. She'd never made things clearer rather than stormier before.

Wait. No. That wasn't entirely true.

The previous morning. Hadn't it been extremely foggy that morning? Then they'd shared their first kiss and the fog had suddenly abated. She hadn't caused the mist to form, but something in that moment caused it to disappear.

Looking up, she said, "Aaron, wait."

He stopped and looked at her. "What is it? Did you think of something?"

Elsa nodded slightly. "Maybe. Do you remember yesterday morning on the balcony?"

Aaron gave her a long look before a smile crept across his lips. "Yeah, a little. I seem to recall us doing something kind of wonderful. What about it?"

She returned the smile but pressed forward with her thought. "Well, do you remember what the weather did?"

Scratching his head as he thought, Aaron replied, "Yeaaah, no. I may have been a bit preoccupied at the time by something else. Or rather, someone else."

Her heart gave a small skip as she tried to focus past his words. "That's sweet, but try to remember. It was really foggy that morning, but when we kissed it cleared away. So we must have done something to change the weather."

He gave her a skeptical look for several seconds. "Are you suggesting that we're going to end this winter by kissing each other a whole bunch?" Then a large grin crossed his face and he added, "Because I gotta tell you, I'm good with that plan."

It took a lot of effort not to giggle at that. After a moment she managed to compose herself and gave him a stern look. "Aaron, please. This is serious. Something in that moment caused my powers to clear away the fog." She fell silent as she thought.

Glancing around, Aaron asked, "Soooo, we're not going to try the kissing idea? I mean, we could just try it and see if it works. And if not, it's not like there's any harm done."

This time she couldn't keep herself from laughing at his impetuousness. However, while he'd said it jokingly but there was just a hint of actual earnestness in his voice. She was about to tease him about it when she heard heavy footsteps approaching and turned to see the large snow golem walking towards them.

The mirth she felt quickly faded as her stomach gave a nervous twinge. _What does this creature want?_

Aaron seemed to sense her anxiety as he started walking towards the golem, pausing by her long enough to whisper, "Don't worry, I'll handle this." Continuing forward, he said aloud, "Hello, big guy. What can we do for you?"

The golem paused and clutched its hands together. If Elsa didn't know better, she'd say that it looked almost anxious. "Sorry to be disturben you," it said in a deep voice. "I just wanted to see if you had anythin you wanted me to do."

Shaking his head, Aaron replied, "Not at the moment. You're free to do whatever you please."

It glanced at the floor and said, "Tha's good and all, but I was hopen you would have sometin for me to do. Otherwise I get real bored and lonesome."

"Again, we don't actually have any requests to make of you at the moment. But you should be commended for your initiative."

The golem gave him a small smile and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome…" Aaron paused and furrowed his brow. After a moment of thought, he said, "I occurs to me that we've neglected to give you a name."

The golem cocked his head slightly to one side and gave him a confused stare. "Name?"

"Yes, a name," he said patiently, looking up at the behemoth. "It's a word that people use to refer to you. For example, my name is Aaron." He turned slightly and gestured to her. "And hers is Elsa." Looking back to the golem, he smiled. "Would you like a name?"

It looked down at him for several seconds before a lopsided grin spread across its face and it nodded. "Very much," the golem said.

Turning to her, Aaron asked, "Well, what do you think? What should we call him?"

Elsa felt anger rise within her as she gave him a glare. He wanted her to be cordial to this thing she'd made out of panic and fear? _I sent this monster after my own sister and now Aaron wants me to give it a name?!_ Letting spite enter her voice, she said, "I don't _want _to give it a name!"

Aaron's eyes widened in surprise at her outburst while the golem looked down at the floor and clasped its hands together fretfully. It looked so miserable and scared, glancing nervously up at her before quickly returning its gaze downward, that she couldn't help but feel bad for saying that. It wasn't this creature's fault for how it was made, or what she commanded it to do. It had just done what it was told.

Giving a small sigh, she said calmly, "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. Of course you deserve a name." The golem gave her another glance but resumed looking at its feet, too scared to say anything. When it became clear it wasn't going to talk to her anytime soon, she looked at Aaron. "Why don't you think of one? I'm sure you're better at this sort of thing than I am."

He had a grim look on his face and was giving her a guarded stare, most likely due to the momentary lapse of her poise, but he neglected to comment on it. Instead, he turned back to the golem and gave it a thin-lipped smile. "You heard the lady. Now give me a second to think." Aaron absentmindedly scratched his jaw as he thought aloud. Mumbling quietly, he said, "Frosty? Nah. Flakes? No. Uh, Jack? Eck. Hmm…"

After a moment, the golem raised a finger. "Um?"

Breaking from his thoughts, Aaron gave him a smile. "Yes?"

Nervously tapping its fingers together, the golem gave Elsa an anxious look before saying, "If it help, the puny snowman called me somethin. It was…" It paused to think for a moment. "Marshmewo."

"Marshmallow?" Aaron appeared to think about it for a second before nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, that'll fit nicely. Better than anything I've got."

"Thing is… I don't know what that is."

Deciding to try and make up for shouting, Elsa stepped next to Aaron and gave it the biggest smile she could muster. "Well, a marshmallow is a treat that's soft and sweet, round and white. And everybody loves them."

The golem considered her words for a while before smiling timidly. "Okay. Then I'll be Marshmewo."

"Marshmallow it is," she replied, suppressing a giggle at the way he pronounced his new name. Turning serious again, Elsa added, "Thank you for what you did yesterday. I know that it probably wasn't easy."

He perked up and smiled. "S'okay. Actually, it was pretty easy. And I doubt they come back."

Aaron looked slightly confused as he asked, "What makes you say that?"

"Because they fell off cliff."

Silence seized the room as they both stared at the golem, Aaron's face full of shock while Elsa's was full of horror. Marshmallow at first looked pleased with himself but faltered when they continued to just stare at him.

Being the first to recover, Aaron slowly opened his mouth to speak but failed to actually say anything for a few more seconds before saying, "I'm sorry, I must have misheard you. It almost sounded like you said they fell off of a cliff."

"No, tha's what happened," Marshmallow replied, frowning slightly and nodding.

Finally finding her voice again, Elsa whispered, "I told you just to remove them from the palace. Why would you throw them from a cliff?"

"I didn't throw them off. They jump off."

"Okay, I'm confused," Aaron replied. "First you say they fell off, then it was throwing, now you're saying they jumped? Why don't you start from the beginning?"

Marshmallow shifted his feet nervously before hesitantly answering. "Well, I took them outside like you ask. But then they attack me and I have to defend myself. Chase led to cliffs where they used a rope and jump."

Aaron ran a hand over his face and let out a relieved gasp. "Oh, thank god! They had a rope."

Nodding, Marshmallow added, "Until they cut rope."

Throwing up his hands and hissing with frustration, Aaron exclaimed, "For the love of-!" He stopped and closed his eyes and tried to compose himself. After a deep breath, he asked, "So you're saying that they intentionally cut the rope and fell from the cliff. Alright."

Elsa gave him a confused look. "Why would they do that?"

"No idea," he replied with a shrug. "But Kristoff's not a fool. He wouldn't have done so without being certain that they would be unharmed by the fall. And given all this recent snow, I suspect they're fine. There must be at least twenty feet of fresh powder down in the valleys for them to fall on."

She hadn't considered that. Was it possible that Anna had leapt off a cliff and come out unharmed? Aaron seemed to be fairly confident that this was the case and that gave her hope. But there was only one way to be sure.

Looking at him, she said, "Aaron, you have to go after them."

"What? Absolutely not!" He took a step back and emphatically shook his head. "I'm not going to leave you here by yourself, especially after yesterday!"

Seeing how reluctant he was, she gave him the most imploring look she could manage and spoke with a captivatingly quiet voice. "Please, Aaron, just do this. For me. I know you don't want to, but I have to know that Anna's alright."

He made the mistake of looking directly at her and she could practically see the hesitancy melting from him as he struggled to stand firm. "But… I can't just… what if something happens?"

Laughing lightly, she placed a hand on his left arm and said, "Don't worry so much. You seem to have forgotten, but I can take care of myself. And besides, it's not like I'll be alone. Marshmallow will be here to look after me."

When he still didn't seem ready to give, she took a step closer and whispered, "I'll still be here, waiting for you to come back to me."

Aaron frowned at her for several seconds, leaning first one way then the other. It was clear how badly he didn't want to leave her here alone, but he also wasn't about to refuse her. Then he gave a sigh and cursed under his breath. "Alright, fine. I'll do it."

"Really?"

"Yes. But before I go." He turned to the golem standing next to them. "Marshmallow. I have an important request to make of you, if you're feeling up to it."

Nodding slowly, Marshmallow asked, "What is it?"

Wrapping his arm around her waist, Aaron gently pulled Elsa to him, keeping his eyes on the golem. "Do you see this woman beside me?"

Marshmallow turned his gaze to her and nodded again. "Yes."

"Well, she happens to be very dear to me. If I had it my way, I would never leave her side or let anything bad happen to her." Elsa looked at Aaron as he spoke, smiling slightly. He continued to stare straight ahead but she could see the sincerity in his eyes. Resuming, he said, "But now I have to go away for a little while. And that, Marshmallow, is where you come in. I want you to promise me that you'll protect her at all costs, no matter who comes or what happens, until I return. Alright? She…" Aaron hesitated and turned his head slightly to look at her. "She means the world to me."

They both smiled affectionately at each other before looking at Marshmallow, who grinned as well and said, "Okay. I promise. Nobody get past me." With that he turned and started plodding towards the door.

Looking after him, Aaron said, "Thank you, Marshmallow."

Watching the golem as well, she whispered, "He's kind of a gentle giant, isn't he?"

"Yeah," he muttered back. "But I wouldn't want to see him when he's angry."

After Marshmallow walked out of sight Elsa turned to Aaron. "So when are you going to leave?"

"Right now," he replied. "I figure it won't take more than an hour or two to find them if I'm lucky." Looking out at the balcony, he added, "I'll start with that cliff Marshmallow talked about. Shouldn't be too hard to find. And I'll see what I can find at its base."

Following his gaze, Elsa felt worry start to worm back into her mind. "I really hope Anna's alright," she said forlornly.

"Hey." Aaron gently placed a hand on her chin and slowly drew her eyes back to him. His amber eyes were filled with confidence as he said, "I'm sure she's fine, okay? Kristoff wouldn't have taken them down a cliff unless he was absolutely certain that it was the best way. And he knows a thing or two about climbing."

She desperately wanted to be as sure as he was, but just couldn't find the courage. Instead she let her eyes drop and said, "I hope you're right."

A hint of amusement entered his voice and his hand slipped around to the back of her neck as he quietly said, "Don't worry. I am," before kissing her passionately.

Elsa was caught so off-guard that she didn't react for several seconds. But just when she started to give herself to the kiss he broke away and started walking towards the balcony, fire trailing behind him and gradually forming into his wings. All she could do was watch him go as she tried to recover from his sudden kiss.

Finding her voice again, she called after him, "Be careful, alright?"

Turning to face her but still walking, he gave her a rash smile. "You know me," he said. Then his wings snapped open and he dived over the railing, falling from sight.

Slowly walking out onto the balcony, she watched him rise quickly with a few beats of his wings before finding an updraft and gaining altitude. He slowly circled around through the cool mountain air until he was facing back towards the palace and gave her a long look before banking away to the south. It wasn't long before he disappeared around the side of the mountain.

She watched him go until he was out of sight before looking to the east. There the first rays of the sun was just starting to emerge as the sun poked out over the horizon. Smiling as the warm light played out over her face, Elsa closed her eyes and enjoyed it for a moment.

Then she heard a muffled footstep and looked down to see Marshmallow settling down next to the far end of the bridge. Sitting down in the snow, the golem stared pensively down into the chasm before it. After a while he seemed to sense that he was being watched and looked up at Elsa. Seeing that she was looking at him, he gave her a meek smile and a small wave. Chuckling slightly, she waved back. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

Elsa was just starting to go back inside when she stopped. _Did I just hear something?_ Cocking her head to one side, she listened intently. At first there was nothing but the gentle breeze passing over the palace, but then she heard it again. It almost sounded like a horse's whinny. Turning with a look of confusion, she looked back outside just in time to see the first of the Arendelle guards round the corner and look up at the palace.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

The wind whipped at Aaron's eyes as he slowly flew towards to the North Mountain. A strong gale was blowing down out of the southeast and hampering his progress as he made his way back to the ice palace. While on the ground it might not have even been noticeable, at several hundred feet in the air every stroke of his wings was a battle.

To make matters worse, he wasn't looking forward to telling Elsa that he'd failed. She'd asked him to find her sister and he wasn't even able to do that.

The cliff that Marshmallow mentioned had been easy enough to find, given that his enormous tracks led straight to it. The golem's footprints were large enough that Aaron hadn't even needed to land to follow them. And, sure enough, his story seemed to hold up. Anna and Kristoff's footprints led all the way up to the precipice's edge and Aaron had found a severed rope anchored to the top of the cliff. However, it was hard to say if it was cut with a knife or not.

Flying to the base of the cliff, he'd found that where they landed looked exactly as he predicted. Several feet of fresh snow had cushioned their fall from what otherwise would have most assuredly been a fatal drop. Judging from the footprints that led from the cliff, they even managed to walk away without any sort of injury as well.

But that was where things had gone wrong. While tracking them away from the cliff was easy enough with the deep snow, they had wrapped around the mountain and headed north, making directly for a large collection of geothermal hot springs nestled into the bottom of the valley. The geysers there generated enough heat to melt off any snowfall while the ground itself either composed of moss colonies or just plain old bare rock. Either way, it would have been next to impossible to track an army across those lands, much less two people, a snowman and a reindeer.

Aaron had taken several passes over the geyser fields in the hopes of seeing them from the air, and when that hadn't worked he spent hours scouring routes that led in and out of the basin. The area as a whole was too large for one person to search through so he hoped that they'd left through one of the easier exits, but each new area yielded just as much information as the last. Nothing.

It was well past noon by the time he'd finally given up. If he had started tracking them shortly after they left then maybe he would have been able to find them. As it stood, too many hours had passed and the trail had gone cold. Ultimately he was left with next to nothing to go off of. But, as far as he could tell neither was injured and that would have to be good enough for Elsa.

He gave a small scoff at that as he continued to fight the winds. _Good enough. I'm sure Elsa will appreciate that,_ he thought wryly. _'Hey Elsa, I wasn't able to find your sister but I have a hunch she's okay and that's good enough'. Yeah, this is going to go over _real_ well, I can already tell._

Annoyingly enough, the cold patch that dwelled in his heart hindered him the entire time. Ever since Elsa's frost had struck him it continued to gnaw at him, no matter how much fire he assaulted it with. And was it just him, or had it actually grown in size? As though the ice was slowly spreading into the rest of his heart. _Naw, _he thought, shaking his head. _I'm just being paranoid._

By then he'd reached the northern side of the North Mountain and began to slowly circle around it rather than rising directly over it. The wind was bad enough at this altitude and it would probably only get worse the higher he went.

_What's the worst she could do? Yell at me? Tell me to try again? _he thought, turning his mind back to Elsa.Either way, he was not looking forward to the coming conversation. _She… she wouldn't kick me out over this, would she? No, of course not._

Rounding the peak, he came in sight of the ice palace and began to make his descent. As Aaron looked down at it, though, he saw that something was definitely wrong.

A large chunk of the bridge had been broken off and the doors to the ballroom had been torn from their hinges, shattering the railing. A feeling of dread worked into his stomach as he swooped in for a landing. Alighting on the far side of the chasm, he stared up at the palace until he noticed something else was missing. _Where on earth is Marshmallow?_

Looking around for any sign of the golem, he noticed a strange little pillar of ice and snow sitting next to the bridge that had never been there before. Aaron walked over and reached out to touch it, only to draw back sharply when he realized it was one of Marshmallow's legs. Someone had sheered it off with a sword.

_What the hell happened here?_ he thought as he turned to look at the snow around him. Sure enough, it was covered with footprints that weren't his. He'd been so caught up in looking at the damage to the palace that he hadn't even noticed them.

They were an assortment of boot and horse prints, belonging to easy a dozen different men. Proof that someone else had come to the palace while he was gone. But if they had attacked Marshmallow and assaulted the palace, then where was…

Aaron spun around to look up at the palace, his heart full of terror. _Elsa._

Sprinting across the bridge as fast as he could, he stormed past the doors into the entrance hall, crying out, "Elsa?!" When he didn't get an answer he started running towards the stairs. _No. No, please no!_

As he ran up the stairs he yelled, "Elsa?! Elsa, if you can hear me please answer me!" Still no one responded as he burst out into the hallway. Going from room to room, he continued to call out her name as he flung open the doors. _Please please please!_ Every room was just as empty as the last as panic slowly began to run wild in his mind. _Where is she?!_

After ripping open the last door and finding the room empty he stood with his hands pressed against his head and stared blankly at the floor as his pulse began to rise. _She's not… She's not here!_ Then Aaron realized with a start that he'd forgotten to check the ballroom. _Maybe…_ Turning sharply, he charged down the hall until he reached the room, but skidded to a halt when he saw that it was in shambles.

The magnificent chandelier that had been suspended from the ceiling lay shattered into hundreds of chunks on the floor, with pieces of it scattered throughout the room. Strange plinths of ice had been created all across the room, seeming to be placed almost at random. Twin ice ridges now flanked the entrance to the balcony and the broken remains of the doors lay just beyond them, with a large chunk of ice now sitting directly in the center of the balcony, fused to the floor. The most disturbing sight, though, was a series of spikes that jutted from the floor and pressed into one of the columns. Each spike was little more than a few inches thick but ended in a point sharper than a spear.

However, Aaron's eyes didn't see any of this as he scanned the room. The only thing he saw was that Elsa wasn't here. Trying to fight back his mounting fear, he pressed his palms to his eyes and gritted his teeth. _Okay, she's not here. But I didn't see any blood or a… body, so that means that she's still alive. I just have to find her in time and everything will be alright._

He lowered his hands and was about to turn away from the room when his eyes caught something he'd missed and gave his stomach give a sickening lurch. There, burrowed into one of the ice plinths, was a crossbow bolt. Judging from how it was positioned it almost certainly had to have been fired. And there was only one person the wielder would have been shooting at. The moment Aaron laid his eyes on it he felt his fear quickly give way to something else.

Rage.

A white hot fury quickly started to course through him as he slowly walked over to the plinth and looked at the bolt. His hands began to shake as they slowly closed into fists and unbidden fire burst forth. Swirling around his hands and crawling up his arms, the fire quickly grew into a howling maelstrom of destruction around him. The flames also slowly worked their way across his body until he was completely engulfed by them.

Aaron didn't even see the fire, though. All he could see was the bolt through the red mist that suddenly swarmed across his vision as he trembled with rage. Squeezing his eyes closed and bowing his head, he embraced the anger rising within him and blocked out the world around him. All he could do at that moment was think one hate-filled thought.

_Someone. Fired. A crossbow. At. My! ELSA!_

At that moment the rage building within him suddenly burst forth. Throwing his head back, Aaron let out a wrathful bellow as the fire swirling around him exploded outwards. Instantly incinerating all the shattered ice around him, it obliterated the ice plinth and the imbedded bolt before assaulting the rest of the room. The pillars and floor held strong against the fiery onslaught but everything else was quickly annihilated by the raging flames.

Standing at the center of the blazing hurricane, Aaron drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled, leaching the fury and hate from his mind. He then opened his eyes and watched the devastating forces hurtling around him. So someone thought they could just come and take Elsa, did they? Well, not if he had anything to say about it.

He then calmly raised one of his hands and snapped his fingers. The second he did so the storm around him instantly abated and he quickly strode from the ballroom. Hurrying to his room, Aaron shucked off the charred remains of his tunic and pants before switching into the black leather armor he kept there. At least now his clothes wouldn't burn when he rained fire down on Elsa's captors.

Whoever had done this couldn't have gotten far. He'd only been gone for half a day and there wasn't a horse alive that could outrun him when he was in the air, so it wouldn't take long to run them down. Now he just had to find them.

Aaron was walking back across the singed ballroom when he heard movement in the snow outside and quickly dashed to the balcony. Looking out across the chasm, he saw a disheveled Marshmallow slowly crawling up the slope towards his severed leg. Spikes of ice jutted from the golem's body and he had an irritated expression on his face.

Sprouting his wings, Aaron leapt from the balcony and glided down towards him. He landed lightly beside the golem's leg and hoisted it up in his arms before turning and walking towards Marshmallow, who saw him and smiled slightly. Rolling onto his back, the golem sat and waited patiently as he approached.

Setting the leg down beside him, Aaron said, "Well I'm glad you're still alive."

Marshmallow gave him a glance as he picked up his leg in both hands and pressed it against the stump where it used to be. Giving it several sharp twists, he then let go of it and gave it a few test flexes. Only when it didn't fall off again did he look back at Aaron. "I sorry I fail you," he said quietly.

"It's alright, I'm not mad at you," Aaron replied. "Just tell me what happened."

Marshmallow's face deepened into a scowl as he growled, "Bad men came here, armed with swords and spears. I did my best to stop them, but they outsmart me. Trick me into fallin into the chasm. Then they attack the palace."

"Sounds like you tried your best," Aaron said, giving him a small smile. "I couldn't have asked any more of you." He then wiped the smile away as he asked, "What did they do with Elsa?"

"Don't know," the golem replied. "Didn't see anythin after fallin. But if she not in there, then they took her."

"That's what I'm thinking. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

Frowning, Marshmallow shook his head. "Not really. Except they all look the same. Wear same clothes."

Aaron furrowed his brow as he tried to figure out what he was saying. Then it occurred to him. "They were wearing uniforms." And there was only one place within five hundred miles that had men who wore uniforms.

Turning to look at the surrounding mountains, Aaron frowned. _So someone from Arendelle decided to try and reclaim their queen, only she didn't come quietly._ They also seemed to be well armed, which explained how they could get past a golem like Marshmallow and that presented a new problem. His powers could do a lot of things, but he couldn't fight cold steel with his bare hands. Luckily, he didn't have to.

His thoughts were interrupted as Marshmallow asked, "So what we do now?"

Looking back at him, Aaron gave him a smile. "Now? Now you rest easy. You've done your part. Meanwhile, I have to go retrieve something. Then I'm going after Elsa."

The golem looked at him for a moment before nodding. "I just hope she alright."

"Don't worry. I'm sure she is. And if they have harmed even a single hair on her head, I'll make them wish that I would kill them swiftly."

With that he ran forward and leapt from the cliff, his wings spreading open and catching the wind. Wheeling higher into the sky, he didn't turn to follow the tracks to Elsa. Instead, he set his sights on the distant Winter's Peak and flew towards it as fast as he could.

Flying through the air faster than ever before, he made it to the mountain in record time and dived down towards his cabin by the lake. Landing heavily in the snow, Aaron rushed forward and nearly ripped the door off its hinges as he bulled it open. He didn't hesitate as he stormed over to his bed in the corner and flung it aside, revealing the ironbound chest that hid beneath it. He'd hoped he would never have to use this, but desperate times.

Rather than searching for the key, he gripped the heavy lock that sealed it with his hand and slowly melted it away with a barrage of fire. Once that was done he flung the chest open and looked down solemnly at its contents. There was only one thing lying in it, a solitary sword bound in a simple leather sheathe. But it was a sword unlike any other.

When he'd first shown flame shards to Elsa, she seemed to think that they were little more than a parlor trick or some sort of meditation. What she didn't realize was that he could manipulate them. Slowly merge them together and bend or lengthen them as he saw fit. Even give them an edge.

Reaching down, he picked up the sword and drew it from its sheath, revealing the flame shard blade. Flames rippled along its length and the entire thing looked as though it was forged directly from fire as it glowed with a bright orange light. Capable of standing up to a steel sword and even burning through one, this blade had no equal.

As he gazed into the weapon's blazing heart, Aaron couldn't help but smile. Now he was armed for battle. And whoever had taken Elsa was going to learn what it meant to attract the wrath of a pyromancer.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

There was a faint ringing in Elsa's ears when she awoke. However, that was nothing compared to the massive amount of pain that was searing through her head. She winced as it spiked when she shifted slightly. Slowly opening her eyes, she took in the world around her.

She was lying on a wool blanket laid out under a tall pine tree. Around her, the Arendelle guards who had attacked the palace were quickly setting about making a camp. Some were pitching tents while others were tending to their horses, which were picketed nearby. None of them were paying attention to her.

Elsa looked around for a way out and was about to make a run for it when she realized her hands were bound. Looking down, she saw there was a pair of thick iron gauntlets that completely trapped her hands and were fastened into place. Both were connected to a thick chain that was tied around the tree beside her. While the chain offered a small amount of slack, it was clear that she wasn't going to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Resining to the fact that she was stuck, Elsa leaned back against the tree and tried to think of the last thing she remembered. These men had attacked the palace shortly after Aaron had left. While Marshmallow had done his best to defend her, two of them managed to get by and tried to kill her. Fortunately her powers proved more than sufficient to hold them off and even turn the battle. Then the chandelier had fallen and she'd hit her head in a desperate scramble to get out from under it.

Taking in a deep breath, Elsa closed her eyes. _Alright, things could be worse. I'm mostly unharmed, so whatever the intentions are of these men I don't think they're looking to kill me. And I'm sure Aaron's already learned what happened and is looking for me. I just have to keep calm and wait until he finds me._

"Ah, good. You're awake." The voice shook Elsa from her thoughts and she looked up to see a man walking towards her. While he was wearing a gray green coat instead of the formal attire he'd had on when Anna had first introduced him, she still recognized him instantly.

Stopping in front of her, he gave her a small nod and said, "Hello, Queen Elsa. Do you remember me?"

Elsa climbed to her feet and gave him a cold stare. "Yes, I remember you, Prince Hans. Where have you taken me?"

Giving her a serious look, he said, "We're taking you back to Arendelle." When all she did was give him a shocked stare, he added, "We're still a long ways out, but we should be able to get there in two days or so, depending on how hard we push the horses."

Shaking her head, Elsa exclaimed, "No, Hans! You can't take me there!"

His expression became confused. "Why not?"

"Because I'm a threat to Arendelle!"_How was he not seeing that?_

Hans looked at her skeptically and said, "I think we both know that you're a threat to Arendelle whether you're at the city or not." He then took a step closer and quietly said, "If you could just end the winter and bring back summer."

She turned and gave him a distraught look, whispering, "Don't you see? I can't." Her expression became imploring as she said, "You have to let me go."

Hans gave a sigh and looked at the ground, shaking his head. "I'm afraid I can't do that, your highness. What am I supposed to tell the people of Arendelle when they find out I had the person responsible for this winter and just let her return to the mountains? No, until a solution presents itself, I have no choice but to take you back to Arendelle."

"You'll be putting the entire kingdom in danger!"

"Maybe," he conceded with a nod. "One way or the other, though, something has to be done about this winter. Otherwise, people are going to start dying."

Elsa gave him a glare as she replied coldly, "That's exactly what I was doing before you all came knocking. I was trying to figure out how to end the winter."

"Any luck?" Hans asked hopefully.

"Not yet, but I can't exactly work on it while I'm a prisoner."

Frowning in disappointment, he said, "Then you'll just have to do the best you can with what you have. But I still can't let you go."

Drawing herself up to her full height, Elsa gave him an imposing stare. "I'm no longer asking. If you continue to hold me against my will, then I'm just going to have to free myself by any means necessary."

Now it was Hans's turn to look beseeching. "Please, Queen Elsa. This is in the kingdom's best interest."

As she looked at his desperate expression, Elsa was almost tempted to agree with him. But her mind was made up. Drawing in a deep breath, she said, "No, Hans. I don't care what I have to do or how hard I have to fight, but I'm not going back to Arendelle with you."

Hans gave her a long, sad stare before looking away from her. When he looked back, though, a wicked grin crossed his face as he said, "Alright, Elsa. We could have done this the easy way." He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "Now we get to do it the really easy way."

His sudden mood shift unnerved Elsa and she took an inadvertent step back. Giving him a suspicious look, she asked, "What are you talking about?"

Pulling lightly on each finger of his gloves, he slowly removed them one at a time as he replied, "I had hoped to do this at a different time and place, but I guess now is as good a time as ever." He then gripped his sword again and gave her a frank look, saying, "But now I'm going to have to kill you, Elsa."

Elsa had no response to that. All she could do was stare at him with a mixture of fear and shock. _He's going to what?!_ At first she thought that she must have misheard him, but his grip only tightened on the hilt of his sword and she realized her life was suddenly in grave danger. Despite this, all she could manage to say was, "But why?"

Smiling slightly, Hans replied, "A fair question." He then turned and looked out at the mountains around them, speaking quietly as he did so. "As thirteenth in line in my own kingdom, I didn't stand a chance. I knew I would have to marry into the throne somewhere." Looking back at her, he gave Elsa a gesture and added, "As heir, you were of course preferable, but no one was getting anywhere with you. Your sister on the other hand. She was so desperate to be loved she was willing to marry me just like that. I figured I would have to stage a little accident for you at some point. Then all this happened and you doomed yourself."

While he spoke Elsa's mind was working so fast that she was hardly hearing anything he was saying. _There has to be a way out of this._ Some way her powers could free her. Then she heard a crinkling sound and looked down to see frost slowly creeping onto the blanket around her. Her eyes widened when she saw the growing ice and fought the urge to smile. _Of course! That's how!_ But this would take time and she would have to stall.

Looking back up at Hans, she gave him glare and asked, "If you were planning to kill me all along, then why bother taking me back to Arendelle?"

"Ah, that." He frowned slightly and returned his gaze to the distant peaks. "Well, my plans hit a slight snag. After your disappearance Anna decided to go after you and I knew there was nothing I could say to stop her. What I didn't anticipate was for her not to come back. Anna hasn't been seen since she left, so there went my opportunity to marry onto the throne. But Arendelle would be without an heir, and who better to give the throne to than a hero? So, I figured if I brought you back and showed the people what a monster you are, then they would all flock to my cause after I killed you and brought back summer. Then they would have no choice but to crown me king."

Once again she hardly paid any attention to what Hans said. Her eyes were fixed on the gauntlets binding her hands as she focused her powers on them. Already the air around them had dropped to well below subzero temperatures and she could feel ice gradually covering their interiors. Soon the iron would begin to warp from the sudden temperature shift and hopefully break.

Realizing that he had stopped talking and was now giving her a suspicious look, she quickly looked up at him and asked the first question that came to mind. "So now what?"

Hans continued to watch her warily for a moment before shrugging and replying, "Now? Since you won't cooperate, I'm afraid I have to kill you. You didn't actually think I would tell you all of that if I had any intention of letting you see another morning? I'm not a fool."

She didn't dare look down again as long as his attention was on her lest he guess what she was up to. The metal was starting to shift, but she still needed more time. _I've got to keep him talking. What would Anna say here?_ "That still remains to be seen. But you won't get away with this."

"Oh, Elsa. I already have," he replied with a broad smile before turning and gesturing to the camp. "You see these men? Every man here was handpicked for their loyalty to me or has been paid with enough gold to keep their mouths shut. Each one will testify to how I tried to reason with you but you were too insane to listen, and how I sadly had to take your life to end the winter. With great risk to myself, of course." Hans looked back at her and said, "And there's no one else around for miles, so who's going to stop me?"

Lifting her head defiantly, she gave him a cold stare and said, "I can think of someone."

Hans gave her a doubtful look and said, "Really? Well, let me know when you see him, because I'll be very interested to meet this person. But enough of this. I think I've postponed your fate long enough."

He went to draw his sword but then seemed to think better of it. Looking around, he noticed a man standing nearby. Unlike the Arendelle guards, he was wearing a burgundy coat and Elsa recognized him as one of the two men who had attacked her in the palace. "You! Get over here!" yelled Hans, waving at him. The man gave him a guarded look but consented and walked over. As soon as he was close enough, Hans said, "Give me your crossbow."

The man's expression became suspicious as he asked, "Why?"

"Never mind why, just give it to me," replied Hans wearily.

Rather than complying, though, the man's eyes darted to Elsa. He stared at her for a moment before looking back at Hans and said, "I thought you said you wanted her alive."

Hans gave him an irritated look. "Well, plans change. And since when do you care? You're lucky I didn't have you and your friend killed after that little stunt you pulled in the palace. If your duke still wants what I promised him then you'd better start obeying orders."

With that the two of them broke out into an argument. Something to do with some trade agreement. As they bickered Elsa risked a glance down at her hands and saw that ice was beginning to form across the outside of the gauntlets. She shifted slightly to prevent them from seeing the frost but allowed herself a small smile. In a few minutes she'd be able to break free with one solid pull. Then Hans would regret threatening her life.

That was when Elsa noticed a faint buzzing in her ears. She shook her head a few times but the sound only seemed to grow louder as she did this. It quickly grew from a light buzz to a dull rumble, like constant thunder in the distance. Then she realized it was coming from somewhere to the west and whatever was causing it seemed to be getting closer. Fast.

"What is that?" Hans asked, as he too now noticed the sound as it gradually grew louder.

Eventually it became an earth trembling roar, but as Elsa looked all around them she still couldn't see the source of the noise. Until it occurred to her that she hadn't looked in one particular direction. Up.

Her eyes looked to the sky just in time to see a massive fireball arcing down towards them. Easily ten feet across and burning brighter than the sun, it crashed into the ground just beyond the camp with a deafening explosion. Snow and debris went flying in all directions as embers rained down on them. Those who weren't blown off their feet by the explosion's shockwave quickly set about trying to put out the flames before they could burn down the tents, crying out to each other in panic.

Hans quickly ran towards the nearest blaze, shouting, "Get those fires out!"

However, despite all the commotion around her, Elsa kept her eyes fixed on the impact crater. Smoke and fire continued to billow out of it, completely obscuring whatever lay within, but she felt like she could just make out something through the haze. A solitary figure. _Aaron?_

Just then the wind kicked up, parting the smoke, and sure enough, there he was. Down on one knee with a hand against the ground and his head bowed, his entire body was covered in raging flames. When paired with his smoldering wings, it made him look like a blazing angel of vengeance. Clasped in his other hand was a flaming sword that glowed as brightly as he did.

The other men were so busy trying to save the camp that they didn't even notice Aaron until he slowly rose to his feet and spread his wings. Then one of them gave a startled shout and all eyes turned towards the crater. Seeing him standing there, they quickly bunched together at the center of the camp and drew their weapons, muttering to one another and looking to Hans for orders.

Rather than attacking or even threatening them, though, Aaron simply seemed to ignore them as his molten eyes scanned the camp until he spotted her. The moment his eyes found Elsa he started walking towards her.

Stepping forward uncertainly, Hans held up a hand and said, "Halt." When Aaron continued forward, he shouted, "Stop!" Only when he raised his voice did Aaron pause, looking at him. Hans looked him up and down before asking, "What are you?"

Aaron seemed to consider the question for a moment before giving Hans a glare. When he spoke, his voice was steady and strong but laced with rage as he said, "A wielder of fire." He then lifted his sword and pointed the tip at Elsa. Still speaking to Hans, he said, "You've taken someone very important to me. I've come to take her back."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Aaron stood with his wings bared and his sword raised as he glowered at the men before him. So these were the people who had attacked Elsa. Just a bunch of hapless guards from Arendelle. He almost felt sorry for what he was about to do to them. Almost.

One of them actually had the audacity to try and give him an order and he was the focus of Aaron's ire. The man looked extremely nervous as he said, "Unfortunately I can't allow you to take Queen Elsa."

Aaron's hard stare deepened into a glare and he sneered. _Who the hell is this? Has he not guessed what I can do?_ Rather than setting the man alight, though, he decided to give him the benefit of a doubt and asked, "And who are you?"

The man straightened slightly and tilted his head, apparently trying to look imposing. "Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. I'm in charge here."

_Hans? Isn't he Anna's fiancé?_ Aaron shifted his footing slightly, unsure of what to do. On the one hand he wanted to run the man through with his sword for trying to hurt Elsa. But on the other he didn't think Anna would appreciate him killing her groom-to-be. Ultimately Aaron decided to give him an ultimatum. Either he could do the right thing, or he could die. Anna would just have to live with whichever one he chose.

"Well, Hans," he said with a small nod, "I'm going to give you one chance. Release Elsa and that will be the end of it. Let her go right now and I will leave you all unharmed." Then his voice dropped to a deep snarl as he added, "But if you don't…" Aaron didn't finish the sentence, letting their imaginations fill in the blank.

To his credit, Hans didn't waver. He gave Aaron a steady stare as he slowly began to back up towards his allies. "Like I said, I can't do that. We must take Queen Elsa back to Arendelle to answer for what she's done."

_Come on, you fool. I'm giving you a chance to live._ But when Hans didn't relent, Aaron shrugged and said, "Then I will do what I must."

Hans quickly retreated through the guards and pointed at Aaron, saying, "Deal with him, men."

_So be it._ He let a cruel smile cross his face and coiled to jump. "Wrong answer."

His wings suddenly snapped down with a deafening boom and launched him forward at blistering speed. Before any of the soldiers could react he was upon them.

Landing in their midst, he smashed his fist down on the ground, sending out a wave of fire. Most of the men quickly retreated from the oncoming flames, but one decided to risk it and leapt through the fiery wall. Aaron quickly took advantage of his isolation and attacked him with a flurry of blows with his sword. The man was just barely able to fend off the barrage but was sent stumbling backwards. Before he could right himself Aaron quickly raised his foot and kicked him in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Stepping over the man, he drew back his sword to deal a killing blow. Aaron was just starting to lunge forward when he heard a loud cry. "No!"

The blade's tip halted just an inch from the man's chest and Aaron cast a glance over his shoulder to see Elsa was watching him with a horrified expression. She had a hand partially reaching towards him and when he looked at her she shook her head. These men had attacked Marshmallow and almost killed her and now she didn't want to see them die?

Aaron glared at her for a second, desperately wishing to finish his thrust, but consented with a nod. Looking back at the soldier before him, he gave a roar of frustration and smashed him in the face with the hilt of his sword, knocking him unconscious. As he slumped to the ground Aaron glowered at the others around him. _Elsa expects me to fight all these men, but now I'm not even allowed to have my revenge?!_

Seeing one of them level a crossbow, he darted back as the bolt whistled past. _Fine. If I can't kill them then I'll just have to settle for beating each and every one to a pulp._ His wings launched him forward again and he brought both of his feet crashing into the bowman's chest. He felt ribs crack as the man grunted and began to collapse. Before he started to fall, though, Aaron pushed off him with his legs and flipped backwards, landing with his blade poised in front of him.

The remaining men shared uncertain glances after seeing how quickly he'd dispatched of two of them. They then fanned out in an effort to encircle him, only to have him charge forward again. Assaulting two at once with his sword, Aaron's wings swept outward and buffeted the rest, managing to set a few on fire. He ignored their panicked screams as he continued assaulting the two in front of him. With a twist and spin he managed to disarm one while connecting with his fist under the other's jaw, sending him tripping backwards.

Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, he spun and caught the wrist of the guard who was in mid-swing after charging him. The fury in the man's eyes was quickly replaced by agony as the flames on Aaron's hand seared into his skin. But before he could give a cry of pain Aaron yanked him forward and punched him in the face with the pommel of his sword. The man was out before he hit the snow.

_Four down, seven to go_, he thought as he turned to face the next guard. Three came at him at once and he was forced to retreat, deflecting blows as he quickly backpedaled. With a flick of his sword Aaron managed to throw one off-balance and quickly caught the man's arm. After sending out another wave of fire that drove the other two back he gave the arm a sharp twist. There was a sickening _crack_ and the arm went limp as the man fell to the ground with a cry, cradling his broken limb.

He had just taken a step forward when another crossbow bolt flew past him and he turned to see a man in a burgundy coat quickly trying to reload his weapon. Aaron was upon him before he could, though, and he took a desperate swing with his crossbow. Ducking under the attack, Aaron snared his arm with his own and twisted until the man rose onto his toes. As the man's head came back in pain he brought his fist up and punched him in the throat. Aaron then let him fall as he clawed at his neck, trying frantically to breathe.

The remaining guards quickly bunched together in a vain effort to defend themselves but Aaron showed no mercy as he attacked them. Catching one in the head with the hilt of his sword and kicking another in the face after another lunge with his wings, he soon found that there were only three left.

Two, one armed with a sword and the other with a spear, stood in front of the other, another man in a crimson coat with a crossbow. They stayed together in a tight formation as the one wielding the spear brandished it at him, preventing him from lunging forward again. But if brute force wouldn't work, then trickery would.

Just as the bowman raised his crossbow to shoot Aaron brought up a wall of fire between him and them, completely blocking their sight. Using the cover provided by the flames, he then launched himself into the air to come crashing down on top of them. The spearman almost managed to react in time but with a swing of his sword Aaron lopped off the head of his spear. His foot caught the other man in the face as he landed while he took a swing at the spearman. The man managed to dodge the attack but left himself open to a follow up and Aaron quickly finished him off with a sharp blow to the head.

For the first time since the fight began Aaron came to a halt and looked around. Guards lay in the snow around him, some unconscious while others cried out in pain from either burns or broken bones. All that was left was the last bowman, who seemed very uncertain about his odds. Turning to look at him, Aaron said, "Either drop the weapon or share your comrades' pain."

Scoffing, the man aimed his crossbow at Aaron and said, "I had a shot at the queen earlier and missed. I'm not going to screw up this time."

Rage surged through Aaron anew and the flames around him suddenly burned brighter. "You're the one who fired at Elsa in the palace?" he asked in a venomous tone.

"Yeah, that was me. So what?" the man said defiantly, though he now sounded uncertain.

"So what?! You shot at the one person I care about! And now you're going to die!"

Charging forward with a wrathful bellow, Aaron dodged past the crossbow bolt the man fired and took a thrust at him. However, the man deflected his attack with the crossbow and even managed to punch him in his right cheek. But Aaron only grew angrier at this and brought the pommel of his sword crashing into the man's stomach, causing him to double over.

Before the guard could recover Aaron's other hand caught him by the throat and hoisted him off the ground. Ignoring the man's pitiful gurgling and desperate attempts to break his grip, Aaron glowered up at him and spoke with a menacing growl. "You know, Elsa doesn't want me to kill any of you. But you attempted to end her life, so I'm not going to spare you."

"Not so fast!"

Frowning slightly, Aaron looked around to see who was talking, but what he saw gave his stomach a lurch and his heart seemed to stop.

There, standing beneath the pine tree with Elsa, was Hans. He had an arm wrapped around Elsa's throat and was holding a crossbow to her head. Her hands were still bound in the iron gauntlets and he'd pulled her out as far the chain would allow so there was nothing she could do to resist him. Hans's finger was lightly squeezing on the trigger and he gave Aaron a confident smile as he said, "Release him."

Aaron looked back at the man he held and gritted his teeth. Holding him slightly closer, he muttered, "Looks like you got lucky this time," before hurling him aside and turning to face Hans, letting the fire that still raged across him extinguish. Trying to hide his growing terror, Aaron gave him a murderous glare. "Don't do anything you can't undo, Hans. If you pull that trigger I swear I'll make you wish you were in the very pit of hell."

Shrugging, Hans replied, "Well, I guess what happens next is up to you. You can either do what I say or I will shoot the woman you claim to care so much about."

Glancing at Elsa, he expected her to look as panicked as he felt. However, she appeared to be completely calm and gave him a trusting look. As though she knew he'd do the right thing. Unfortunately, Aaron wasn't quite sure what the right thing was at the moment. Looking back at Hans, he asked, "What do you want?"

Hans smiled even broader and said, "Drop the sword." When Aaron wavered his mirth was replaced by anger and he shouted, "Do it!"

Tossing the blade aside, he raised his hands slightly. "Fine. Now let her go."

But Hans just shook his head. "Not yet. Now get on your knees and put your hands behind your head." Again Aaron hesitated and he shifted the crossbow slightly, hissing, "Get on your knees, scum, or I swear I'll pull this trigger."

Aaron was out of options. Hans was too far away to attack directly, no matter how fast he moved, nor could he try to sneak fire around him for fear of him noticing. Either way, he would simply pull the trigger, killing Elsa, and there was nothing either of them could do to stop it. While her powers could defend her, they couldn't stop a bolt fired from less than an inch away.

So, swallowing his fear and rage, he slowly lowered to one knee and then onto the other. As he complied Hans's smile returned and he said, "There you go. Just like a good dog." Aaron bit back a retort as he placed both hands on the backside of his head.

The situation seemed hopeless, but then he looked at Elsa again and she winked. _What? Does she have a plan?_ That was when he noticed the frost quickly spreading across her gauntlets. So she did have a plan. But the worst thing he could do at that moment was call attention to her. Quickly looking back at Hans, Aaron said, "Don't get too confident, Hans. This still ends badly for you no matter what."

Hans got a contemplative look on his face for a moment. "Maybe," he admitted with a nod. Then he lifted the crossbow and leveled it at Aaron's chest. "But not if I do this," he added with a confident grin.

The moment he removed the crossbow from her head, though, Elsa went into motion. She lifted both hands and pulled on the chain, causing both the gauntlets binding her hands split open in a flurry of frost. Hans was just starting to react when she calmly reached out and gripped his wrist.

He let out a howl of pain as ice quickly flashed across his flesh and crawled onto the crossbow, freezing it to his hand. Even if he could have pulled the trigger with his frozen fingers, it wouldn't have mattered as the bolt was now fused to the crossbow. Elsa then sank her elbow into his gut, causing him to stumble backwards.

After looking down at his frozen hand, Hans looked up at Elsa with a malicious glare as he moved to draw his sword with his other hand. "You little bitch!"

What he hadn't noticed was that the moment Elsa froze the crossbow Aaron had started moving. Having snatched up his sword from the snow, he had leapt to his feet and was running towards them. The moment Hans tried to draw his sword Aaron raised a hand and sent a ball of fire flying towards him. It caught him in the right side of his face and Hans gave out an agonized shriek as he fell to the ground, cradling his hands against his smoking face.

Coming to a halt in front of him, Aaron glared down at him. "No one gets to call her that, you filthy piece of shit!" he roared as he drew his sword back.

He just starting to swing when Elsa suddenly stepped in front of him, holding her hands up. "No! Stop!"

Aaron brought his sword to a halt and gave her an angry look. "Move, Elsa. This has to be done."

But she didn't move. Instead she continued to stand between him and Hans, saying, "No, it doesn't. I'm not going to let you kill him, Aaron."

"What? Why not? Elsa, he tried to kill you!" he exclaimed in exasperation as he glared at Hans.

She also gave Hans a withering look as she replied, "Yes, he did. If you hadn't arrived when you did, who knows what would have happened. And that's not all he's done. But that doesn't mean he deserves to die. No, he will be judged in Arendelle for his crimes and justice will be carried out."

"I could judge him right here and now. And I can use this to dispense justice," Aaron said, holding out his sword.

Her gaze returned to Aaron and she shook her head. "I said no, Aaron. And that's final."

He glared at her for a moment before conceding with a sigh. "Fine. I'll let him live. For now." Crouching down next to Hans, he then whispered, "But you try to harm Elsa again and I will kill you. No matter what Elsa says. Do you understand?"

Hans glowered at him through his fingers but wisely chose not to speak.

"Good," Aaron said with a smile. "Glad to see that we're starting to understand each other." Standing back up, he looked back at the camp behind him.

A few of the guards had managed to struggle to their feet with one or two even rearming themselves. Taking a threatening step towards them, Aaron yelled, "Drop them! Unless you want to go another round!" As they complied he spoke to Elsa. "So what do you want to do with them? We can't just take them all back to Arendelle."

"No, we can't. But we'll think of something."

After watching them for a moment, Aaron finally felt his anger begin to subside and he gave a sigh. Turning to look at her, he gave Elsa a smile. "I'm just glad you're okay."

She returned the smile. "Thank you for coming for me," she said quietly.

Laughing lightly, Aaron replied, "Of course I did. What would I do without you, Elsa?" Without waiting for a response he turned and walked towards the guards, shouting, "Alright, listen up! Those of you who can walk, help your comrades and group up! I want to keep an eye on all of you!"


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

The light was starting to fade as Aaron listened to Elsa tell him about what had happened to her after he'd left the palace yesterday. They were standing in the burnt remains of her captors' camp as they talked. While she still refused to allow him to harm any of them further, she had allowed him to incinerate their tents and supplies, which was quite satisfying.

As for the guards themselves, they were now all sitting around the large tree that Elsa had been bound to. Aaron hadn't managed to find any restraints to use on them, but he did come across a large length of rope and after binding each of their hands he'd lashed them all to the tree. It had taken a while, but none of them were going anywhere. A few had complained that their injuries were too painful to be bound until he'd suggested giving them new ones to worry about.

It had taken a great deal of restraint on his part as Aaron managed to tie Hans to a separate tree without harming him further. While he desperately wanted to cut the man down, the sight of his face was good enough for now. Hans might have once been considered a handsome man, but now the right side of his face was charred and burnt from where Aaron had struck him. He could no longer see out of his right eye and lost some hair but Aaron still felt the new look was an improvement. Now he would never forget what happened when he threatened someone Aaron cared about. Unfortunately he still liked to talk too much and Aaron had wound up gaging him just to shut him up.

Now he was listening grimly as Elsa told him about Hans's efforts to usurp the throne.

"And that's when you showed up," she finished, nodding towards him.

"Sounds like I got here just in the nick of time," he replied, glancing over at the guards.

Smiling slightly, Elsa said, "I could have handled them, but I appreciate you coming to my rescue."

Aaron gave her a smirk. "Oh, I'm sure you could have. It is nice, though, being the gallant knight and saving the damsel in distress every once in a while." His face turned serious as he added, "I just wish that I'd been there yesterday."

She frowned before saying, "You couldn't have known."

"No, but if I had left a half-hour later then none of this would have happened. These fools would have attacked the palace and been met with fire as well as ice." He let out a sigh and looked at the ground. "Then it took me so long to find you."

"Well, you're here now," she said, taking his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Looking back at her, he gave her a warm smile and squeezed back. They gazed at each other for a moment and he felt himself slowly falling into her eyes. Unfortunately, this was neither the time nor place for this and Aaron broke off with a few blinks.

Turning to look at the setting sun, he asked, "So is it true, what Hans said? Does Arendelle not have an heir to the throne besides Anna?"

"Oh." She sounded slightly disappointed as she released his hand and looked at the sun as well, but she did answer his question. "Yes, it's true. Besides Anna my next closest kin are some cousins who live in neighboring kingdoms."

Aaron gave her a glance and nonchalantly said, "That's unfortunate." But while he tried to appear disinterested, internally he felt uncertain. _Sounds like Arendelle needs its queen now more than ever. Without her the throne's vulnerable to people like Hans. And where is its queen? Staying in the mountains with me._

If he was completely honest with himself in that moment, he felt kind of bad. While he cared deeply for Elsa and she was the most marvelous person he'd ever met, there were thousands of people who were depending on her to come back. Both in the city and abroad, they needed their queen. If it turned out that he was the reason why Elsa chose not to return to Arendelle, he wasn't sure if he could live with that.

"Hey. You alright?"

Jared from his thoughts, Aaron turned to see Elsa giving him a concerned look. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just…" He trailed as he looked at her. _It doesn't help that she's the most beautiful woman I've ever met,_ he thought dryly before saying, "Just lost in thought."

She gave him a smile but still seemed slightly worried as she asked, "What were you thinking about?"

"Oh, you know, just… hold on." He looked over at the guards and shouted, "Hey! What did I tell you about talking to one another?!" The two that were whispering to each other quickly fell silent and looked away. Glaring at them for a moment, Aaron yelled, "That's better!" before looking back to Elsa. "Sorry, I've forgotten. What was your question again?"

Shrugging slightly, she said, "I was just wondering what you were thinking so hard about."

"Ah. Right." To be honest, he wasn't sure how to broach the subject. Elsa didn't like to talk about the fact that she was a queen, but now things had changed. _If there are other people like Hans out there, then we can no longer just sit by_. Eventually he decided to just be honest.

Aaron noticed that Elsa was patiently waiting for a response and was about to speak when something unexpected happened.

An abrupt wave of cold passed through him, originating in his heart and rushing out to chill his extremities. His breath became winded and he wavered slightly as he tried to retain his balance after the pulse ended. Heat flooded back through him as the cold vanished as quickly as it came. _That was weird._

He then noticed that Elsa was giving him a horrified look. _I must look worse than I feel._ Giving her a reassuring smile, he said, "I'm alright, just felt a little funny for a moment there."

However, she continued to stare at him as though something was dreadfully wrong and when she spoke her voice was a whisper. "A-Aaron."

He glanced around them but didn't see anything amiss. Looking back at her with a concerned expression, he asked, "What's wrong?"

She slowly raised a trembling hand and pointed at him. "Your… your hair."

_My hair?_ Glancing up, he ran a hand through his hair but it felt normal. "What about it? Is it on fire again?"

"No. It's… it's turning white."

"… What?" Aaron tugged on a clump of hair so that he could just see it out of the corner of his eye, but it appeared to be just as brown as ever. Looking back at Elsa, he said, "It looks fine to me."

Shaking her head, Elsa replied, "Not all of your hair. Just a single strip." She then held out her hand and a solid plate of ice appeared, showing his reflection. Sure enough, there was a lock of hair over his right temple that was as white as snow. Aaron peered at his reflection with a perplexed look for a moment before reaching up to touch the lock.

Just then a second wave ripped through him, much stronger than the first. The chill burrowed deep into his bones and nearly brought him to his knees but he barely managed to remain standing. Unlike the first wave, though, this time the cold didn't recede right away and continued to gnaw at him. Fortunately it didn't last as he quickly warmed himself by sending fire coursing through his veins. As he did this he noticed the source of the cold.

Placing a hand over his heart, he could feel the icy core buried deep within it. He'd completely forgotten about it in his anger and fear for Elsa's wellbeing and didn't remember it as it remained inert. Now, though, the cold seemed to be changing, warping slowly. He felt it expand slightly before collapsing inward.

As it did this another pulse erupted from it. Instead of letting the chill pass through him, he attempted to ward it off by summoning fire around his heart. The cold collided with the warmth and nearly broke through but he was able to hold it back. When the chill receded, though, he couldn't help but notice that the ice patch now felt larger than it had before.

Elsa put a hand on his chest to help steady him as he exerted himself. "How do you feel?" she asked anxiously.

Looking down at himself, Aaron debated to tell her the truth. He didn't want to upset her needlessly and he was confident that he could hold the frost at bay. However, she'd already seen it nearly topple him, so lying wasn't going to help anyone. "Cold. Very cold." He then looked up at her and asked, "What's happening to me?"

"I don't know," she said with a solemn expression. Then she seemed to think of something and grew worried. "It's because my powers struck you, isn't it?"

Aaron thought back to that moment and realized she was right. When the wave of frost she created had struck him, it had left him with a lingering cold in his heart and now that was the source of the icy waves that ailed him. However, admitting that he thought she was to blame for this would only cause her to panic, so he shrugged and said, "Maybe. Maybe not."

Unfortunately Elsa saw straight through the lie, taking a step back from him and looking distraught. "I thought you said I couldn't hurt you!" she exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around herself.

He quickly stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. When she met his eye he smiled and jokingly said, "I also didn't think that you could freeze an entire kingdom. Turns out I was wrong on both accounts." When she gave him a small glare he added, "What? Too soon?" At least now she was more irritated than scared. Irritated he could deal with. Putting on a serious expression, Aaron said, "Don't worry, Elsa. I'll be fine. My fire will protect me." Then he gave a small involuntary shiver. "I think."

She seemed to calm slightly as she stared at the ground between them until she appeared to come to a decision. Looking up at him, Elsa said, "Aaron, you need help. I don't think your fire will be enough."

"I said I'll be fine." Aaron gestured to the mountains around them and added, "Besides, what help are we going to find out here? We're in the middle of nowhere."

Elsa didn't heed his words as she said, "I think I know someone who can fix this. But we need to leave right now."

"Wait, wait, wait. Leave?" _What is she talking about? We can't leave!_ Taking a step back, he pointed towards the prisoners. "What about Hans? We can't just let him go."

She gave him a level stare before asking, "Why not?" This caused Aaron to gawk at her for a moment. The last thing he'd expected her to do was suggest that they release Hans. But that was what it sounded like. When he remained silent she said, "You yourself said that we can't take him back to Arendelle and we don't have time for anything else."

"No!" Shaking off his shock, Aaron glared at Elsa as he shouted, "He has to pay for what he's done to Arendelle! And for what he almost did to you, Elsa!"

"And he will. But not now," she replied calmly. Then she took his hands in hers and gave him an imploring look, quietly saying, "Please, Aaron, just listen to me. I think your life is in danger."

Aaron opened his mouth to argue some more but closed it with a grimace as another cold wave suddenly passed through him. Screwing his eyes shut and squeezing Elsa's hands, he quickly summoned fire to head off the pulse like before. This time it was all he could manage to hold it at bay and the effort left him breathing heavily. _Maybe she's right,_ he thought as he tried to slow his racing heart. _Maybe this is serious._

Opening his eyes slowly, he looked at Elsa. "So who is this person? How do you know they'll be able to fix this?"

She gave him a small smile and said, "Because I've seen them do it before."

Aaron gave her a puzzled look for a moment before it dawned on him. "Your sister…"

Nodding, Elsa said, "They were the ones who helped Anna after I accidently struck her. If they could help her, then they can help you."

"Hopefully. So where are these people?"

"Well, they're not people per say… but that doesn't matter," she replied with a shake of her head. "Do you know the geyser fields to the west of the North Mountain in the next valley over?"

He frowned slightly and said, "Yes, actually. I flew over them yesterday. I didn't see anyone there, though."

"You wouldn't have," she said with a shake of her head. "They're very good at hiding themselves but they're there."

So they needed to go to the geyser fields. Normally he would have been able to walk there in about a day, or an hour by air. As things stood, he wasn't even sure if he could fly that far. However, it didn't feel like he had much of an option.

It took considerably more effort than usual to summon his wings but he eventually managed to get them to form properly. Trying to hide the strain it was causing him to maintain them, Aaron gave Elsa a confident grin. "Ready when you are."

She looked worried as she asked, "Are you sure you're up for it? It's a long ways."

"I know. But it seems I need to get there as soon as possible, so unless you have any other ideas…"

"Unfortunately no," Elsa replied before stepping forward and allowing him to pick her up.

Aaron turned and was about to take off when he heard one of the guards yell at them, "Hey! Where are you going?!"

Glancing over his shoulder at them, he smiled and shouted back, "Sorry, gentlemen! As much as I enjoy your company, pressing matters require our attention, so you're on your own!"

"At the very least untie us!" another cried. "We could freeze to death otherwise!"

"Then you'd better do something about that! Night's coming and it tends to get rather cold around here!" With that Aaron brought his wings down and they rose into the sky, wheeling around to face the west.

Another chill gripped him as they ascended. Gritting his teeth, Aaron powered through the cold and continued to climb. Hopefully Elsa was exaggerating when she said his life was in danger. However, as the ice in his heart expanded even further, he started to believe she was right.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

It was several hours after sundown and the night was completely still around them as they slowly drifted through the sky. What would have normally taken only minutes took much longer as Aaron could only manage to keep a slow pace. Occasionally they would catch a beneficial breeze that would help to push forward but otherwise their flight was a crawl. To make matters worse, his appearance was steadily getting worse.

Aaron's hair was now more white than brunette while his touch was no longer hot. Rather his skin felt tepid and slightly clammy as he sweated profusely from all the effort he was exerting. _He must be absolutely exhausted_, Elsa thought as she looked at his pained expression. He'd already spent most of the day most of the day flying around as quickly as he could, not to mention battling a dozen men and whatever it was that chilled him. Despite all that he still looked grimly determined to make it to their destination.

However, whatever was happening to him was starting to take its toll. When he'd taken her flying before, Aaron had been extremely fast and confident. Now, though, every wing beat seemed to be a struggle as he tried to keep moving forward. His breathing was ragged and his wings, normally bright and lustrous, were gradually becoming dimmer and dimmer. It looked as though he was putting every ounce of his being into keeping them aloft and was starting to come up empty.

All the while she couldn't fight off a small pang of guilt as she felt like nothing but dead weight. Powerless to help him, all Elsa could do was offer a slight course correction every now and then and just come along for the ride. Though she desperately wanted to alleviate his pain it was up to Aaron and Aaron alone to fight this battle.

After what seemed like eons they managed to crest the final ridge and the springs came into sight down below. Fortunately they didn't look to be more than five miles away. _We'll be there in a matter of minutes!_ Then Elsa noticed that they were rapidly losing altitude.

The ground was approaching quicker than she would have liked as Aaron banked and started gliding towards the base of a nearby cliff. But they were still some fifty feet in the air and dropping far too quickly. Starting to grow nervous, she asked, "Aaron? Aaron, don't you think you should pull up? Aaron?!" Looking at him, she saw that his face was contorted into an agonized grimace and he was breathing in tight gasps.

Diving as quickly as he dared, he managed to gasp, "I can't hold it."

With that his wings suddenly flashed out of existence and they fell from the sky. A panicked scream tore from her lips as they plummeted towards the ground but was cut off abruptly as Aaron quickly pivoted his body, twisting so that she was cradled against his chest and he was below her. Then they struck the oncoming snow.

Hitting with a surprising amount of force, Elsa was torn from Aaron's grasp and quickly lost track of him as she tumbled down a snow-covered slope. Eventually she came to a halt at the bottom of the hill and lay on her back in the snow, her chest heaving as she breathed heavily. After a minute of not moving or even thinking she did a quick mental check to see if what was in pain, but discovered that nothing appeared to be broken. Just a few bumps and bruises. _I… I'm alive? Not even hurt? We must have fallen more than thirty feet! And we were going at least twenty miles an hour!_ she thought as she lay there. _Something to be said for snow, I guess. I just hope Aaron's-_

She sat up quickly, looking for Aaron. _Where is he?!_ Climbing to her feet with a wince, she looked back up the slope and scanned it carefully until she saw him. He'd stopped about halfway down the hill and was lying on his side with his eyes closed. He wasn't moving.

"Aaron!" Scrambling through the snow, Elsa rushed up the slope towards him. She skidded to a halt beside him and dropped to her knees, doing her best to see if he was injured. His breathing was shallow and staggered, but at least he was breathing, and his skin had lost the rest of its heat. Now he just felt cold to the touch. Giving him a small shake, she asked, "Aaron, can you hear me?"

After another shake he gave a small groan and opened a bleary eye, looking around until he saw her. Aaron then smiled weakly and gave a haggard cough before saying, "There's another reason I prefer to walk. Safer."

Laughing slightly, though not so much at the joke and more at the fact that he could joke at all, she breathed a sigh of relief. _Looks like he's not seriously injured either._ Then he gave another cough and she felt less sure. Giving him a concerned look, she asked, "Are you hurt at all?"

"No, I'm, _cough_, fine," he replied, waving her off. "Just that when an entire person abruptly lands, _cough_, on your chest it tends to take the wind out of you. But nothing's, _cough_, broken. I'll just have more than a few bruises in the morning." Sucking in a deep breath, he winced slightly. "Okay, maybe a rib or two."

"You should try to sit up. You're cold enough as it is without lying in the snow."

With a grunt of effort, Aaron slowly rolled onto his stomach and lifted himself onto all fours. He then held out a hand in front of him and, with a strangled gasp, managed to summon a single flame. But this wasn't like his normal fire. While it usually burned strong and bright, this solitary flame was thin and feeble. He was only able to hold it for a few moments before it vanished.

While kneeling beside him, Elsa tried to maintain a calm exterior but it was heartbreaking to see him reduced to this. Aaron was normally so strong and confident, and now… now she wasn't sure if he could even walk. _Come on, Elsa, pull yourself together,_ she thought as she placed a hand on his shoulder. _Pity isn't going to help him right now._ Leaning down next to him, she asked, "Aaron, can you stand?"

He gave her a glance but instead of answering slowly shifted one foot under himself, then the other, before lurching up. Though he wavered slightly, he managed to stay standing and even took a step forward. Taking another deep breath, he said, "I can still walk. Come on, Elsa, we need to keep moving."

Rising as well, she continued to watch his movements worriedly and asked, "Are you sure you shouldn't take a quick breather? You look exhausted."

Aaron gave a wheezing chuckle and gave her a weary look. "I don't have time for a break," he replied, taking another unsteady step forward.

He wavered slightly and seemed like he was about to fall back to the snow until Elsa stepped beside him and placed an arm around his waist to steady him. Taking his arm and slinging it across her shoulders, she gave him a sad smile and said, "Here. Let me help you."

Returning the smile, he took another step and they began to move forward. While she couldn't support his full weight she could at least make sure he didn't fall back down. So, slowly but surely, they managed to work their way down the mountain and into the valley below. It was extremely slow going and Aaron would occasionally halt, seizing up for a moment as his skin temporarily grew colder and his hair would turn even paler until it was almost completely white. And after every attack he would grit his teeth and continue to walking forward.

The moon had moved far across the sky by the time they managed to reach the edge of the geyser fields. Aaron seemed to become slightly invigorated by the heat they gave off but by then he was starting to shiver uncontrollably and Elsa began to fear that it was only a matter of time before he wouldn't be able to walk any more. So, trying to support even more of his weight, she guided him forward as quickly as possible while whispering words of encouragement.

"It's alright, we're almost there. Just a little farther, Aaron, and then we'll be able to get you help," she said as they made their way through the springs.

Eventually they managed to find what they were looking for and she slowly brought him to a halt. "We're here," she said, looking around. Before them was a circular stone outcropping with small rock ledges rising all around it. Thick layers of moss grew all over the rocks. However, it was the numerous round boulders around them that had her attention.

Aaron's voice sounded confused as he asked, "Really? Here?"

Elsa nodded as she looked around. "Yes, this is the place." She would never forget this place and how her family had desperately come here to save Anna. Now she had returned to save someone else she cared about.

Taking another step forward, she raised her voice and said, "Hello?! We need help!" Instead of getting a response, however, the night remained as silent as ever and none of the rocks so much as shifted. Panic slowly began to claw through her as nothing happened.

Looking out at the empty clearing, Aaron said, "Uh, Elsa? There doesn't seem to be anyone else here."

She shook her head and desperately looked all around them. "They have to be here. They have to." When still nothing moved she yelled, "I know you're there and that you can hear me! We need your help!"

Still she got no response while the boulders remained motionless. Several silent seconds ticked past until Aaron gave a dejected sigh and slumped slightly. Speaking softly, he said, "Elsa, there's no one here."

"No! We've come too far!" she yelled, refusing to give up. _Don't you quit on me now!_ However, she could feel her hope slowly trickling away with every passing moment and her voice took on a hint of hysteria as she cried, "Please, somebody! Anybody! Help!"

Aaron slowly bowed his head and his voice became deathly quiet. "Elsa, its fine. It's alright."

"No, Aaron!" Elsa gave him a fierce glare and blinked back her tears. "I'm not going to let you die!"

Just then a familiar voice called out her name. "Elsa?"

The voice had come from behind them and Elsa looked over her shoulder to see her sister and Kristoff standing there. Breathing a sigh of relief, she said, "Oh, Anna! Thank god! I was just starting to think-" Then she abruptly stopped when she realized who she was talking to. "Anna?"

"Anna?" Lifting his head, Aaron also looked back at them and blinked in surprise. After a moment he asked, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied before seeming to notice his pale completion and white hair for the first time. With a worried look, she asked, "Are you okay?"

Elsa was completely flabbergasted by the sudden and unexplained appearance of her sister. Where did she come from? What was she doing here? But right now none of those things mattered. All that mattered was that she was there and she might be able to help Aaron. Giving her a panicked look, she cried, "No! Anna, he's as cold as ice! We need the trolls!"

"Trolls?" Aaron asked in a confused tone, but nobody heeded his question.

Nodding and stepping forward, Anna looked out at the rocks around them and called, "It's alright, everyone! This is my sister, you can trust her! And he's a friend!"

At first nothing happened as Anna's voice quietly echoed back to them. Then all the rocks, both large and small, all began to tremble and shake. Eventually they all started to roll towards them quickly before coming to a halt around them. One by one they popped open to reveal short, stout people with gray gravely skin and wearing moss like clothes.

Murmurs quickly swept through the crowd as the trolls looked at them. "Who's that?"

"It's the queen!"

"Oh. Why didn't you say so?"

"Why didn't you?"

Aaron looked out at the trolls with a look of shock and amazement, as though he couldn't believe his eyes. Then he gave a small chuckle and muttered, "Trolls… I'll be damned." Just then his muscles seemed to seize up for a moment before his legs went limp.

Gasping as all of his weight suddenly leaned on her, she looked around and shouted, "Kristoff, I need you! I can't hold him any longer!"

She squeezed her eyes shut as she struggled to support Aaron's weight until he was lifted off of her. Opening her eyes, she saw that Kristoff had slung his other arm over his shoulders and was now holding him up. Speaking quietly to Aaron, he said, "I got you, buddy. Don't worry, you're going to make it." He then looked out at the assembled trolls and yelled, "Grand Pabbie!"

The mass of trolls quickly parted as one particularly old one rolled forward, coming to a halt in front of them. Giving them an uncertain look, he said, "There is strange magic here." He gestured to Kristoff and said, "Come, come. Bring him to me."

Slowly, gingerly, Kristoff brought Aaron forward and lowered him onto his knees. He wavered slightly and looked like he could fall over at any moment until Elsa knelt beside him and took ahold of his arm to steady him. She continued to look at him worriedly as the old troll reached out and grasped one of his hands, frowning at what he felt. Looking up, he said, "Aaron, your life is in danger."

Aaron's brow furrowed slightly as he lifted his head and looked the troll in the eye. "How do you know my name?" he asked with a suspicious tone.

Shrugging, Pabbie smiled slightly and replied, "We've known about you for a long time, Aaron. Ever since you came to the mountains. How could I not sense someone with gifts like yours?"

Rather than question it, Aaron simply seemed to accept that and asked, "So what's wrong with me?"

The troll stepped back and frowned. Bowing his head slightly, he said "There is ice in your heart that, if not removed, will freeze you to solid ice. Forever."

Deciding to step in, Elsa asked hopefully, "But you can remove it, right?"

However, he gave her a sad look and she felt her own heart go still. "I cannot. I'm sorry, your majesty," he said as she looked at the ground and tried to fight back the tears that began to well in her eyes. _That's it? After all that? After all the suffering Aaron just went through, there's nothing he can do? Aaron's going to…_ Seeing how distraught she'd become, Pabbie lifted his hands apologetically and said, "If it was his head that would be easy, but only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart."

_Wait. There's still a chance? _Just then another shudder passed through Aaron and he clasped at his chest with a grimace. The sudden movement unbalanced him and he fell heavily onto his side. Rather than sitting back up, though, he slowly rolled onto his back with his eyes closed, focusing on breathing normally.

Despite this, as she looked down at him, Elsa felt hope rising inside her. Along with something else. _I can still save him._ Gazing down at his face, she quietly asked, "An act of true love?"

"You know." She looked over to Anna, who was standing next to Kristoff and giving her a warm smile. When Elsa looked at her, she added, "A true love's kiss."

After a moment Elsa smiled and looked back at Aaron. The shudders seemed to have passed and he was now lying still, his face peaceful. Reaching out and placing her arms around him, she slowly lifted him until he was resting on her lap before cradling his head with one hand and gently stroking her cheek with the other. He seemed to stir at her touch and slowly opened his eyes, smiling when he saw her. His eyes still smoldered with their amber glow as he gazed at her. Then he looked past her and his smile widened.

Lifting a shaking hand, he pointed up and quietly said, "Look. The sky's awake."

Turning her head to follow his gaze, she saw the Aurora Borealis splayed out across the night sky, shimmering in a collage of gold and ruby waves that flowed from horizon to horizon. As she watched the glimmering marvel she thought back to the first night she'd spent with Aaron, when they first saw the aurora. It had once been a source of fear and uncertainty for her. Now, though, it just made her think of him and stirred feelings deep within her.

Elsa turned her attention back to Aaron to find that he was looking at her again. The light above was shining in his eyes as he looked deeply into hers and he reached up to gently caress the side of her face. Speaking so quietly that only she could hear him, he whispered, "You are so beautiful."

Her heart gave a small flutter as she leaned closer until they were only an inch apart, whispering back, "And you're so wonderful."

Aaron looked at her for a moment before his smile vanished and his face became sincere as he gently moved his hand to her neck. Then he drew her in slowly.

That final second before her lips touched his seemed to last an eternity as an old question surfaced in the back of her mind. Did she truly love him? After all, they'd only known each other a short while and it had plagued her so much of late. But, this time when she asked, she finally knew she had an answer to give.

Yes. Yes, she loved Aaron.

Their lips pressed together in a deep and passionate kiss, and while she'd kissed him before, this one felt like so much more. Rather than noticing the wind that suddenly surged around them or the cool night's air, the world simply fell away, leaving just the two of them locked in that moment. Her heart began to beat rapidly and her hair whipped in the wind, but all she felt was Aaron. Though his lips were cold and he was shivering slightly, he kissed her with all the passion he could muster.

That was when she felt the heat. It started low, almost unnoticeable, but gradually built the longer they kissed. His lips returned to their normal hot temperature as a wave of warmth seemed to pass through him until he was burning so hot that the air around them started to crackle. The shivering subsided and his body regained its strength as he drew her deeper and deeper into the kiss.

Eventually they broke apart and she opened her eyes to look at him. What she didn't expect was for him to be glowing. His skin shined with a dull red light before gradually cooling back to its normal color, while his hair shifted from white back to its original brunette. His eyes never left hers for a second as they burned with new life. After a moment he drew in a deep breath and exhaled, looking down at himself.

She was confident that he was back to his old self, but there was no way of knowing without asking. "How do you feel?" she asked hesitantly as he examined himself.

Instead of answering right away, he held one of his hands up and looked at it intently. As she watched fire suddenly burst forth and enveloped his hand, flickering up into the night. Aaron smiled broadly at the flames and replied, "Better than I've felt in my entire life, thanks to you."

Looking back at her, he gently brushed his flaming hand against her cheek. Rather than burning her, though, the flames were pleasantly warm and tickled her skin. As he did this he looked back into her eyes and said, "I…" He trailed off for a moment, took another deep breath and steeled himself. "I love you, Elsa."

Leaning into his touch, she smiled back. Those were the four most gratifying words she'd ever heard and it was all she could do to not kiss him again. _He loves me._ Instead of doing anything else, though, she replied softly, "I love you, Aaron."

Aaron gave her an affectionate look and opened his mouth to say something when he seemed to remember that they were surrounded by other people. Glancing around them, Aaron said, "What are you all looking at? She just saved my life is all, nothing to see here."

A light laughter rippled through the trolls as they continued to watch merrily with a few even cheering. Looking back at Elsa, he said, "I guess we should probably get up now."

To be honest, Elsa was experiencing so much bliss at that moment that she didn't care what they did. Stand up, stay down, go flying again, whatever. Her Aaron was back from the brink of death and he loved her, so what else mattered? So she simply said, "Whatever you like."

Giving her a smirk, Aaron gradually sat up before slowly climbing to his feet, wavering slightly but growing more confident with every second. He then turned and offered her a hand, helping her up. Once they were both standing, they looked over at Anna and Kristoff. Kristoff was giving them a broad smile while Anna looked like she could barely contain her glee.

As soon as she looked at her Anna darted forward and gave Elsa a firm hug, laughing as she did so. Surprised by the sudden movement, she hesitated a moment before hugging back. As they embraced Anna whispered, "I'm so happy for you, Elsa."

Giving her a slight squeeze, Elsa replied, "Thank you, Anna. And remember that I love you too."

"Love you, sis."

Anna then broke away and gave her a tear-filled smile before turning to give Aaron a hug as well. As shocked as Elsa was by the sudden affection, it was nothing compared to Aaron's expression. He stood there for a moment, looking unsure of what to do, until he smiled and returned the hug. This hug wasn't quite as long as the one she'd given Elsa, but when Anna stepped back she said, "I'm glad you're okay."

"Uh, thanks," he said, still a bit unsure. "For that, and for being so accepting of your sister and I."

Shrugging, she replied, "You seem to make her happy, and that's good enough for me."

Anna then moved beside Elsa and Kristoff stepped up. He and Aaron gave each other broad grins and, while they didn't hug, they did give each other a quick pat on the back. "How do you feel?" Kristoff asked.

"Better," Aaron replied with a nod. "Tired, but like my old self."

Turning to look at the trolls, Kristoff shouted, "You hear that?! He says he's fine! So get out of here!"

Another wave of laughter passed through them and this time they all gave a cheer and an applause. While that was going on, Elsa reached out and retook Aaron's hand. After coming so close to losing him, she wasn't about to let him go for very long. His attention returned to her and he leaned in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. A small blush filled her cheeks as they looked back at the cheering trolls.

In the midst of the celebrating, Aaron and Elsa looked down at Pabbie, who was giving them a knowing smile. Nodding to him, Aaron said, "Thank you for helping me."

Laughing lightly, the old troll shook his head and turned to walk away. Calling back over his shoulder as he went, Pabbie replied, "Don't thank me. She's the one who saved you, so thank her instead."

Elsa felt Aaron's arm wrap around her waist and pull her close. When she looked back at him he was smiling and giving her an alluring look. Leaning closer, he whispered, "I intend to," before kissing her anew. Her arms twined around his neck as she quickly forgot about the rest of the world yet again.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

There was a faint mist in the air that filtered the morning sun's light, giving the air a soft golden glow. What light that did make it through glistened across the surface of the frozen river and sparkled in the snow on the far bank. A lark could be heard singing in the distance and there was the faintest of breezes, but otherwise the world was perfectly still.

Elsa slowly drew in a deep breath as she took in the stillness and basked in the peace. The morning was so serene she didn't make a sound for fear of ruining it. And, if she listened closely, she could even make out the trickle of the water flowing under the ice.

After the hectic events of yesterday it was nice to be able to simply relax and watch nature for a moment. _I can't imagine how Aaron managed to remain conscious through all of that,_ she thought as she gazed down at the shimmering ice. The battle with Hans followed by the frantic flight to the trolls had left her fatigued and she hadn't really done that much, so he must have been tired to the bone. Despite that they'd stayed up long after Anna and Kristoff went to sleep, passing the time by conversing and gazing into each other's eyes. Eventually, though, they had to rest and she'd fallen asleep in Aaron's warm embrace.

She experienced a deep and dreamless sleep until she woke the next morning. Waking up to find that she was still tucked against him, she'd spent a few minutes just watching him sleep before quietly rising. He was in such a deep sleep that he didn't even begin to stir.

Taking stock of her surroundings, she'd realized that no one else was awake yet so she decided to go for a short walk when she found this frozen river that flowed just beyond the geyser fields. The far bank was covered in snow, while this side was close enough to the springs for the frost to melt off, revealing the pebbly shore beneath.

She'd already spent an hour there, experiencing the serenity of the moment, and didn't feel like leaving anytime soon. The only way she felt this moment could get better was if Aaron of Anna joined her. To share this moment with someone she loved…

It was still taking some getting used to, this new sensation of love. While Elsa did love her sister as well, what she felt for Aaron was much deeper and more primal. As though it was the same kind of love with streaks of desire and passion mixed in that gave it depth and strength. And how much stronger the yearning became when she'd learned that Aaron loved her in return. An inexplicable longing to gaze into his amber eyes and lose herself within them.

_I wonder if all new love feels like this,_ she thought as her heart quickened at the mere memory of last night. All the incessant lightheadedness and difficulty to direct her thoughts. All this change just because of her affection for one person. _At least it's all worth it._

Elsa was pulled from her reflection by the sound of footsteps approaching across the gravely beach from behind her, but before she could react she felt a pair of hot arms wrap around her stomach and heard Aaron murmur into her ear, "Good morning."

Leaning back into him, she placed her hands on his and smiled. "Good morning. How are you feeling?"

She could sense amusement in his voice as he said, "Sorer than I've ever been in my entire life, but I'm alive. Thanks to you."

"All I did was kiss you," she replied, glancing back him.

He was giving her a warm smile and shaking his head slightly. When she looked at him he tried to look contemplative and rested his chin on her left shoulder. "True. If you don't count knowing about the trolls, helping me to get here or saving me from Hans. If you ignore all that, then yes. All you did was kiss me."

"Sounds like you may owe me one. Or two," she said as her gaze returned to the river.

"You saved my life. I will owe you as long as I'm alive."

Her tone turned slightly playful as she said, "Don't be so dramatic. It was only a true love's kiss." If Anna heard her say that she might die of shock.

"Who would have thought that all it would take to thaw a frozen heat was love?" Aaron replied as he reached up and brushed her braid onto her other shoulder, letting his fingertips trail across the back of her neck as he did so.

He then lightly kissed the base of her neck and a shock flashed through her. Elsa did her best to suppress a shiver but failed and could feel Aaron's smile as he kissed her neck again. He then began to work his way up her neck, one little kiss at a time. While she was a little anxious about this new display of affection she had to admit it felt exhilarating. Her eyes were slowly beginning to close when his words suddenly stuck in her mind.

"Wait. What did you say?"

Aaron didn't respond right away as his lips slowly trailed up her neck and planted a kiss under her jaw. As he did this he hummed, "Mm?"

It was very hard to focus while he was doing that, though she did her best. "You just said that love thawed your heart." Pabbie had said something similar last night but its significance hadn't occurred to her until just then.

"Mm-hmm."

She twisted slightly and looked at him. "Aaron, stop. This is important. Do you know what this means?"

He gave her an irritated look, clearly agitated that she asked him to stop, but didn't comment on it. Instead he sighed and said, "I don't know. What?"

Turning to face him, she smiled and said, "Love will thaw, Aaron. Love."

Elsa then took several steps back until she was standing at the edge of the river. Aaron didn't move or comment as she did so, choosing instead to merely watch as she looked at the frozen river behind her. Gazing out over the crystalline surface, she wasn't sure what exactly it was that she was about to do but she could feel her powers welling up inside her.

Raising both hands and reaching out towards the ice around her, she closed her eyes and focused on those she loved. On Aaron and Anna. How they changed and enriched her life. As she did this her powers reacted to her thoughts and spilled out to flow over the river.

Hearing a faint whispering sound, Elsa opened her eyes and stifled a gasp. A wave of glistening frost was slowly drifting away from her, arcing high into the sky. Wherever it went the ice below it quickly turned to snow and floated up to join the cloud, leaving the serene river waters behind. Eventually the wave reached the far bank and she raised her hands, causing the floating frost to rise into the sky. There it condensed together until she spread her hands and the ice dispersed to the winds. Looking back down, Elsa was elated to see that the river was now flowing peacefully, as though it had never been frozen in the first place.

Turning back to Aaron, she gave him an excited smile, which he didn't see. He was too busy staring up at the sky with a look of shock and awe on his face. Giggling slightly at his dumbfounded expression, she started walking towards him. When he finally looked at her Elsa gestured behind her and asked, "Did you see that? I… I thawed the river." Then she stopped as she realized something. "I can end the winter!"

The shock on Aaron's face vanished and he held up a hand, looking cautious. "Elsa, wait."

Not paying attention to what he said, she continued walking forward as she looked at the snow-covered land around them. "I can end it, right now! I can save Arendelle!"

This time when he spoke his voice was slightly louder and more urgent. Stepping forward so that he had her attention, he said, "Whoa! Slow down! I don't think that's such a good idea."

"What are you talking about? It's a great idea!" she replied, laughing lightly. _The nightmare's finally over!_

Frowning slightly, he shook his head and gave her a serious look. "No, Elsa. It's not."

That was when she realized that he was being serious. That he really didn't think that she should end the winter. Her own smile vanished and she took an uncertain step back. Giving him a level stare, Elsa said, "This winter needs to end, Aaron."

He seemed to notice that his words may have been misinterpreted and raised his hands defensively. "Yes, it does. And nobody's arguing that." Pausing for a moment, he added, "But, there's a time and place for everything and this isn't it."

Aaron stopped talking as though he expected her to respond, but she remained silent as she stared at him. _There's a time and place? Well that's here and now!_ When it became obvious that she wasn't going to speak next he said, "Okay, all I'm going to ask is that you hear me out. After I've said my piece you can do whatever you like. End the winter, don't, whatever. Just hear me out."

Elsa's eyes narrowed suspiciously and she crossed her arms as he spoke but she gave him a nod, saying, "I'm listening."

He took a few seconds to apparently collect his thoughts before speaking. "I know you haven't given it much thought, but I think you should return to Arendelle and reclaim your place as queen."

Aaron was right when he said she hadn't thought about it much. She was caught completely off-guard by that. _What's this have to do with the winter?_ Elsa started to say "I don't-" before he cut her off.

"You agreed to let me finish talking before responding," he said sternly, giving her a disgruntled look.

Her own expression soured, but instead of arguing she said, "I'm sorry, you're right. Please continue."

He gave her a gracious nod before resuming. "Everyone in the kingdom knows that you're the rightful ruler and that you should be sitting on the throne, not someone like Hans. I don't think anyone would deny that. Unfortunately, I don't think you have the hearts and minds of the people at the moment. All they know is that you brought down a curse of eternal winter and then abandoned them to freeze to death. While we may know that's not true, they don't. But do you know what would happen if you lifted the winter right now? There would be no explanation for it and people would just start coming up with whatever they thought was the most sensible reason."

Aaron pointed a finger at her. "Then say you came back to the city and claimed that you were responsible for the return of summer. Why should they believe you? What proof do you have? The last thing they remember about you is that you're supposedly a monster. So they'd turn on you. Cast you out, or worse, despite the fact that you're the rightful queen. Honestly, one of the worst thing you could do right now is end this winter."

He stopped talking and gave her a pointed look, indicating that he wanted her to respond. However, she was slightly confused. He still hadn't said when he thought she should bring back summer. Giving him a skeptical look, she asked, "So what do you propose I do? Let them all freeze?"

Shaking his head, Aaron replied, "No, not at all. I propose that you return to Arendelle immediately. Then, once there, end the winter and bring back summer in front of all of them. The people would see that you didn't abandon them but rather came back to save them, and while they may not trust you right away they won't necessarily fear you." He paused and shrugged. "And who knows? With time and the right moves they might come to love you. And, with the winter gone, you'll be free to reclaim the throne and begin to defend them from people like Hans."

Elsa still wasn't wholly convinced as she said, "You make it sound like it would be easy."

Aaron gave a small scoff at that, replying, "I doubt it. The people may not be too happy to see you at first and I'm sure Hans will do everything in his power to stop you once he learns you're back. But if you're ever going to wear the crown again then this is one of the only ways."

While she hadn't given the subject much thought, it was now clear that he had. It almost sounded as if he already had it all planned out. Despite that, though, she couldn't help but notice he'd missed a key problem. "Alright, let's assume that everything went as you say. That I lifted the winter and managed to take my place as queen. What if I don't want to be queen?"

As his expression saddened she realized that he had thought of this. He'd just elected not to address it. Letting out a small sigh, he said, "In my honest opinion, that doesn't matter. The people need you. Without Anna, you have no heir. Elsa, do you know what happens to a kingdom without an heir when the ruler leaves?" She felt like she had a pretty good idea but wanted to hear what he would say, so she shook her head. "It becomes chaos as everyone with any amount of power starts to try and seize the crown. Before long civil war breaks out and the entire kingdom's being torn apart. Not to mention what neighboring kingdoms would do if they saw Arendelle fighting itself and was temporarily weak."

Elsa saddened when she thought of civil war ravaging Arendelle. She wanted to deny any chance of that happening, but she knew of many kingdoms throughout history that had suffered a similar fate and collapsed. _But not my kingdom._ Closing her eyes and frowning, she quietly said, "You don't know that would happen."

"And what if it does?" He let that hang in the air for a moment before his voice perked up and he added, "Luckily, it doesn't have to, so long as you're alive. You were rightfully and legally crowned queen, so no one can challenge your claim."

She could feel him watching her intently but kept her eyes closed, trying to deny what she felt. _He's right. I don't want to admit it, but he's right,_ she thought morosely. Arendelle needed her back as queen, and if she was going to return she would have go to the city to lift the winter. However, she still wasn't ready to accept it and threw out a weak excuse. "What if I let Anna take my place?"

"Do you really want to do that to her? You yourself said that you were groomed your entire life to rule Arendelle. I doubt Anna's also had such preparation."

_You just have an answer for everything, don't you?_ Elsa thought, opening her eyes and looking at him. While Aaron was giving her a reassuring smile it was clear he knew she was starting to come around. _And he hates the fact that I'm a queen but still thinks I should embrace it._ Unfortunately, there was still one question that plagued her thoughts. It was the first thing she'd thought of when he suggested she become a queen again and she'd hoped that she wouldn't have to ask it.

Looking down at the ground and letting out another sigh, Elsa quietly asked, "What about us?"

"What about us?" His tone had turned slightly playful, as though he knew exactly why she was asking and was trying to lift her mood by joking.

But she wasn't in a joking mood. "Don't." Her eyes lifted to him and she said, "You know what I mean. If I returned to Arendelle, would you come with me? And even if you did, things would still change between us. Do you think I should jeopardize our relationship by doing this?"

Aaron's smile slowly drifted away and he looked at her with a serious expression for a moment. Walking forward slowly until he was about a foot from her, he gently took both her hands in his and patiently waited until Elsa looked up at him. When she did he leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss. While not very long, he managed to put a great deal of passion into the kiss and she felt her worries start to melt away.

After a blissful moment he broke away and gave her an earnest look, quietly saying, "Elsa, I love you. I know you know that, but I thought I'd just say it again anyway. As such, I will always be there for you as long as you'll have me. No matter what happens." His eyes saddened slightly as he added, "But, right now the people of Arendelle need you more than I do."

As she looked into his eyes she felt a small pang of sorrow as well. In a perfect world they could just be together and not have to worry about anyone else. But she had Aaron's love and he had hers, so that would have to be good enough. Giving him a smile, she asked, "And what if I'll have you forever?"

His lips pulled up into a grin and he said, "Then you'd better get used to me."

Laying her head against his chest, she slipped her arms around him and gave him an embrace. After a moment he did the same and held her close as they stood there and listened to the peaceful gurgle of the river. Elsa wanted to stay there in his strong arms forever, but there was something that she had to do. So she slowly removed herself from his embrace and took his hand, turning and walking back towards where the trolls lived. As she towed him along she said, "Come on."

"Where are we going?" His voice was puzzled but he didn't resist her pull.

"If I'm going to return to Arendelle, then Anna's coming with us and I need to explain to her why she can't marry Hans before we leave."


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

The trolls were up and ambling about as Elsa guided Aaron across the clearing. _Bizarre little creatures_, he thought as he watched a pair talking quietly to one another. As he watched one suddenly tucked into a ball and rolled past him, only to pop back up next to another troll. _Where in the world did Elsa ever hear about them in the first place?_

Then he saw Anna and Kristoff and stopped, causing Elsa to stop as well. The pair were sitting next to a small fire, talking cheerfully while Kristoff rotated what appeared to be a fish over the flames. He'd put it on a spit and the scales were just starting to blacken, indicating that he hadn't been at it for long. A ways behind them lay Sven, snoozing in the shade of a tree, while there appeared to be no sign of Olaf. And, now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen the snowman last night either. _Where's he at?_ However, Olaf's absence hadn't been the reason Aaron had stopped. It was Anna.

She looked so cheerful this morning, so happy just to be there that he hated to spoil her mood with the news about Hans. But someone had to tell her sooner or later and they might as well just get it over with, so he looked over at Elsa. She was giving him a quizzical look as to why they'd stopped until he quietly asked, "Before we go over there, do you want to tell her, or should I?"

Her expression saddened slightly as she turned to look at Anna for a moment before she replied, "I'm her sister. I should be the one to tell her."

While Aaron agreed with her, he still didn't like the idea of Elsa being upset when her sister inevitably became sorrowful so he persisted by quietly asking, "Are you sure? Because I could do it for you if you like."

"I'm sure. This is going to be unpleasant no matter what and I'd rather not put you through that. Thank you for offering, though." With that she turned and once more towed him forward. He felt reluctant to let her be the bearer of bad news, but Elsa's mind appeared to be made up. _Won't this be fun, _he thought as they approached.

Anna was the first to notice them. She looked and gave them a smile, saying, "Good morning, you two."

"Morning, Anna. Kristoff," Aaron replied cordially before glancing down at the rotating fish. "What are you cooking?"

Kristoff didn't look up as he tended to the fish. "A trout I caught earlier this morning. I decided to get up early to do a little ice fishing."

Crouching down beside him, Aaron drew in a breath and savored the smell of the meal. His eyes were inspecting the golden flakes of the trout's roasting flesh when a question occurred to him. "How'd you get through the ice? You don't have a saw, or at least I haven't seen you with one."

The fish paused in its rotation and Kristoff gave it a soft prod. As he did so he smirked and said, "Please. When you know as much about ice as I do, you don't need a saw to carve a simple fishing hole."

"Well, it smells delicious," cut in Elsa before Aaron could reply. She then turned to her sister and asked, "Anna, could I talk to you for a minute? In private?"

Though she gave Elsa a confused look, Anna shrugged and said, "Uh, sure. What about?"

Elsa opened her mouth to respond but hesitated, looking uncertain. She then cast an anxious glance at Aaron. He wasn't feeling any surer than she was, but he still put on a brave face and gave her a small smile followed by a nod. _It's alright, Elsa. You can do this._ They shared the look in silence until her face softened and she turned back to her sister, who was watching them with a vaguely suspicious expression. "I've decided to return to Arendelle and there's something I wanted to discuss with you first."

The suspicion vanished instantly as a look of elation crossed Anna and she sprung to her feet. "Really?! That's wonderful!" Anna exclaimed, moving to hug Elsa. However, she hesitated when Elsa shied away and looked wary. Her enthusiasm faltered but she continued to smile while glancing around until she spied a nearby tree. "Why don't we go talk over there?"

"Okay." Elsa moved to follow her, pausing to give Aaron and Kristoff a halfhearted smile. "We'll only be a minute, boys."

Aaron once more returned the smile, trying to appear encouraging. His smile faded, though, when she turned away again. _Here's hoping Anna takes the news well,_ he thought as he watched them go. _Unfortunately, the man claimed to love her, so I rather doubt it_. Rage began to coil through him at the thought of Hans trying to take advantage of such an innocent girl. If only Elsa had let him…

"How'd you manage that?"

It took a moment for Aaron to realize that Kristoff had asked him a question. Pulling himself from his thoughts with a shake, he looked over at him. "What?"

Smirking at his befuddled tone, Kristoff said, "I guessing it was you who convinced Elsa to return to Arendelle."

"Oh. Yeah, that was me." It hadn't been easy, but he had been able to sway her.

Kristoff pulled the fish off the fire, setting it aside on a flat rock before proceeding to strip off the scales in deft strokes with a knife. As he did so he glanced up at Aaron and asked, "So how'd you do it? She seemed pretty reluctant to return."

"I told her the truth." When Kristoff gave him a puzzled look, he shrugged. "The people need her." His eyes wandered over to where the sisters were talking and he contemplatively watched them converse. "She took a little convincing, but she eventually came around."

"What's she planning on doing about the winter?"

"You'll see. Don't worry, we have a plan."

His voice trailed off as he watched the sister. They were sharing a quiet laugh, and judging from the glances, probably at his expense. Then, slowly but inevitably, Elsa's mirth drained away and was replaced with sorrow as she continued to speak. At first her sister seemed to think she was still joking. But, as Elsa spoke, she realized it wasn't a joke and Anna's smile faded. Her face was just starting to twist into a scowl when he looked away. Aaron didn't feel like watching the argument that was going to occur so he turned back to Kristoff and said the first thing that came to mind.

"So. I have to admit, when Elsa told me about this place, the last people I expected to run into was you two. How on earth did you end up here?"

Kristoff was also watching the girls but quickly returned his attention to the trout when Aaron looked at him. He didn't look happy with what he saw, but he didn't mention it. "Well, after Elsa threw us out," he replied while chopping off the fish's tail, "Anna was pretty upset, as you can imagine. But, while she couldn't just go back to the palace and try again, she couldn't just return to Arendelle with the weather like this. After some thought she decided that she wanted to stay close, give Elsa some time to calm down, then give her another visit. So I decided that we should stay with my family in the meantime."

"Your family?" Aaron had an ear cocked toward the sisters, listening for any outbursts, and wasn't really paying attention to Kristoff's story until he heard those two words. _Family? I haven't seen any other people. Then again, I wasn't exactly looking for them._

"Oh, right. Forgot to mention that last night," Kristoff muttered to himself with a grin. Looking up, he gestured at the trolls milling about the outcropping. "This is my family."

Now that was unexpected. It took several seconds for Aaron to make sense of his words as he looked around. _They're his family?_ After taking a slow scan of the clearing Aaron gave Kristoff a cynical look. "Trolls?"

He smirked at Aaron's doubtful tone but didn't speak for a moment until he finished preparing the fish and set the blade aside. Then he sat back on his heels and looked over at the snoozing reindeer, saying, "Sven and I didn't have anyone else growing up. It was just the two of us trying to get by. But then we happened to come here one day and they just sort of took us in. We've been family ever since."

Though it could have been taken as a sad story, Aaron was doing his best not to smile. _Doesn't anyone in this kingdom have a normal childhood?_ he thought as he fought back a chuckle. _First there's the two sorcerers, then there's the oddball, and now there's the boy who was raised by trolls. And we're all orphans in one form or another._ The irony was palpable as he managed to reply, "That was nice of them."

"Yeah. They're pretty great." Kristoff watched a group of nearby trolls fondly before something seemed to occur to him and he gave Aaron a cautionary look. "Just… be careful bringing a girl with you around them. They've tried to marry Anna and I a few times while we've been here."

Aaron recoiled slightly and his own smile vanished. "What? You're kidding." _That's… unsettling._

Chuckling quietly, Kristoff shook his head and said, "Nope. First time they met Anna, tried to have the ceremony right then and there. Needless to say, she quickly put a stop to it."

"And the fact that she's engaged to someone else didn't factor in?"

Kristoff's smile instantly disappeared at the mention of Hans while his face instead adopted an irritated expression. "Apparently not. According to them, her engagement is a minor problem."

"'A minor problem'? Yeesh. That's, uh… hardcore." He appreciated love and marriage and all that, but that seemed pretty extreme. _Note to self, never be alone with Elsa around them or I may end being king a hell of a lot sooner than either of us would like._ At least he had some somewhat good news for Kristoff. "Luckily, I don't think she'll be engaged for too much longer."

Whatever Kristoff might have been thinking vanished as soon as he heard that and his whole body clenched. Slowly, but deliberately, he turned to give Aaron a blank look. When he eventually spoke his voice was deadpanned, though there were flakes of uncertainty and even a little optimism in it. "What do you mean she won't be engaged?"

It was hard to tell if he was upset or elated at the news and Aaron honestly wasn't sure how to proceed. _Honesty is probably the best course._ Taking a steadying breath, he said, "Well, as it turns out-"

"Anna, please!"

The sudden cry caused Aaron to jump and he looked over his shoulder to see Anna storming towards them. Her face was contorted in rage and her hands were clenched into fists, but he could just make out a single tear rolling down her cheek. Elsa followed close behind, looking distraught as she tried to reason with her. However, Anna was having none of it.

"I don't believe you!" she shouted, casting a foul look over her shoulder.

Elsa's own eyes were tearing up as she reached out a caught Anna's wrist, spinning her sister around to look at her. "I'm telling you, it's the truth!" she cried imploringly.

Aaron quickly rose to his feet, watching the pair with growing apprehension. He then noticed that Kristoff was also standing and they shared an uneasy look but neither spoke as Anna's voice turned scornful. "And why should I believe you?! You've always hated Hans!"

"No I…" Elsa started to say, sounding defensive, before her voice trailed off. After reconsidering her words she quickly said, "Okay, so I've never been his biggest fan. But I wouldn't lie about this!"

Rather than replying, Anna turned and once more advanced on them. Stopping in front of Aaron, she jabbed a finger at his chest and hissed, "You! Is it true?"

Even though he must have outweighed her by an easy sixty pounds and possessed the ability to manipulate fire Aaron still felt faintly fearful in that moment. She looked so angry there was no telling what she would do, so he slowly raised both hands in an effort to appear submissive. Hesitantly he asked, "Um… Is what true?"

Anna's scowl deepened, but instead of berating him she cast a hand back at her sister. "Elsa just told me that Hans tried to kill her and was only using me to get on the throne. Is it true?"

"Ah. That." _So much for taking it well._ Collecting himself, he gestured to the ground beside the fire. "Maybe you should sit down first. This could be-"

With a shake of her head she cut him off. "Is. It. True." Anna punctuated each word with another jab.

He watched her with trepidation before letting out a sigh and lowering his eyes. As much as he didn't want to tell her, she had to know. After a pause he met her gaze and quietly said, "Yes. It's true."

The moment he said those words the anger fled from Anna's face, replaced by shock and despair. As though she had been in denial and Aaron's words had stripped it away along with the rage, leaving only misery. Her eyes dropped to the ground while her lips parted in a silent frown but otherwise she didn't move or even blink.

Slowly Elsa placed a hand on her shoulder before speaking as gently as possible. "See? I told you, Anna. I told you it wasn't true love." When Anna didn't respond Elsa drew her into a consoling hug, softly stroking her back. However, she still didn't react, continuing to stare off dejectedly. Then, after a while, she wrapped her arms around Elsa and rested her cheek on her shoulder, stifling a sniffle.

A full minute passed in silence before Aaron heard Kristoff clear his throat quietly and he turned to look at him. Kristoff looked miserable at the sight of Anna being distraught as he asked, "Could someone tell me what's going on?"

_Oh. Right,_ Aaron thought to himself. _He has no idea what's going on._ Instead of answering right away he glanced over at Elsa, who was looked back at him. After a moment she gave a nod, signifying that he should tell him, as she continued to comfort her sister.

Returning the nod, Aaron gave Kristoff a sad look and said, "Prince Hans attempted to murder Elsa. Shortly after you two left, he attacked the palace with a contingent of men and took her. Unfortunately I wasn't there at the time. If I had been I would have burned them all." As soon as he thought back on the palace attack he had to stop as rage suddenly surged through him at the memory. _This isn't the time for that. Anger isn't going to help Anna right now._

Sensing the memory upset him, Kristoff tried to deflect the conversation elsewhere by asking, "Where were you?"

"Actually, I was out looking for you two," he replied after taking a calming breath, gesturing at the sisters. "Elsa wanted to make sure you were alright, since Marshmallow said you jumped off a cliff."

"Marshmallow?"

_Man. He's missed a lot._ "He's the snow golem Elsa created. But that's not important right now," Aaron said hastily, trying to get back on track. "Once I returned to the palace and found that she was missing, I set out after them. It took a little while, but eventually I was able to track them down. However, before I could free her Hans held a crossbow to her and threatened to kill her unless I complied. If it wasn't for some quick thinking on her part, she would be dead right now."

He fell silent again as the emotions that had coursed through him in that moment returned to him. The seething rage from the fact that Hans would even think to threaten Elsa. The despair when he realized there was nothing he could do to stop him. How he'd been completely helpless to do anything. And, worst of all, the crippling fear that something would happen to the woman he loved. That she had come so close to death. Fortunately, she was far more cunning than Hans and more than capable of taking care of herself.

Kristoff once more cut across his thoughts by asking, "So what'd you do with him?"

_At least that part had been satisfying_, Aaron thought with a small grin. "I punished him. And if I'd had it my way, he'd be dead. But Elsa didn't want me to kill him. Anyway, he's probably well on his way back to Arendelle by now."

Silence once more fell upon them until, after a while, Anna slowly pulled herself from her sister's embrace and took a step back. A single tear crawled down her cheek until she reached up a brushed it away while saying in a shaky voice, "I can't believe this. I can't believe he… he…" She trailed off, becoming too choked up to continue. When she did eventually speak again her voice was less than a whisper. "I thought he loved me."

Elsa took a step towards her, moving to hug her again, but stopped when she took another step back. She appeared to be fighting back tears of her own as she softly said, "I'm so sorry, Anna."

"I just want to be left alone for a while," Anna replied to no one in particular as she slowly turned away. "I… I need to think about this." With that she started walking towards the edge of the outcropping. Once there she lowered herself down, sitting with her knees drawn to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs while staring out at the surrounding mountains.

They all watched her solemnly for a while until Elsa turned to look at the two of them. "Someone should talk to her," she said quietly.

"She just said she wanted to be alone," Kristoff protested, giving her a stern look.

"I know she did," Elsa conceded softly before adding, "But she shouldn't be alone right now."

"Hold on, Elsa," replied Aaron, holding up a hand to prevent her from cutting him off. "While I agree with you, I don't think you're the best person to talk to her right now."

What he expected was for her to argue the point. To say that she was the best person to speak to Anna right then, being her sister and all. What he didn't expect was for Elsa to nod and say, "Yes, and that's why I was going to suggest that Kristoff go talk to her."

Aaron's response died in his throat and he remained silent. _Kristoff? Why him?_ Kristoff seemed to be thinking the same thing as the two of them shared a befuddled look. When neither appeared to have the answer he looked back at Elsa and asked, "Me?"

She slowly turned and looked at him, arching an eyebrow. "Yes. Is that a problem?"

"Well no, not really. But… what am I going to say?"

Elsa gave him an encouraging smile before placing a hand on his shoulder and giving him a small push. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll think of something. Now go on. We'll be over here if you need us."

"Um… alright." Kristoff gave Aaron another glance and when all he got was a look of confusion he said, "Not sure what good I'll be, but I'll give it my best." With that he turned and walked towards Anna, casting another worried look over his shoulder.

Aaron watched him go in silence and waited until he was beside Anna. She apparently didn't protest against his presence as he sat alongside her and took in the view as well. Elsa also continued to watch wordlessly before kneeling down beside the dying fire. There she sat, saying nothing as she stared into the fluttering flames.

Her quiet demeanor unnerved Aaron, so he moved beside her and joined in watching the flames as they danced upward. When she didn't react he asked, "Why Kristoff? He doesn't know anything about Hans."

"No, he doesn't," she replied, not looking up. "But that's not why I want him to talk to her. Anna trusts him, and she needs a friend right now."

Looking away from the fire, Aaron noticed that she now had a somewhat shrewd expression on her face, and while her words were nice he felt as though there was something else she had in mind. "Uh huh. Sure. Don't think I don't see what you're trying to do."

Elsa still didn't look at him, instead asking, "And what am I trying to do?"

"You're going to try to make her fall for Kristoff."

At least that got a partial reaction in the form of a head shake. "No, I'm only going to stoke what's already there." As she said this she waved a hand at the fire and the flames gave a minute surge, helping to illustrate her point.

Seeing her play with the fire, Aaron couldn't resist waving his own hand, causing the flames to shoot upward. Elsa jolted her hand back and shot him an irritated look, but her face softened when she saw his good-natured smile. She even almost smiled when he said, "So you noticed it as well."

She looked at him for a moment before turning her gaze towards the distant pair. Kristoff had slid slightly closer and was resting a consoling hand on Anna's shoulder. And, was it just him, or did it look like Anna had shifted closer to him? As she watched them Elsa replied, "I'm her sister. Of course I noticed. Though anyone can see she fancies Kristoff."

Smirking, Aaron nodded. _Yeah, that part's fairly obvious._ But did she fancy him enough to get over Hans quickly? He saw no reason to voice his doubts, as it would only upset Elsa, so he simply said, "Here's hoping that it works."

They sat together quietly for several minutes, watching the other pair talk. After a while Elsa resumed looking into the fire and Aaron found that he was content to simply watch her face. She wasn't the type to wear her emotions on her sleeves but he could see that she was still fairly distraught at the situation her sister was in, so he reached out and placed a hand on her back. When she didn't protest he slowly began to rub it in circles, trying to massage her grief away.

She cast a glance at him out of the corner of her eye and smiled faintly as he made his way down her back. But then the smile vanished and she looked down at the ground, letting out a sigh. After a moment she murmured, "I hate this. I hate doing this to Anna."

At first Aaron couldn't think of anything to console her, though he desperately wanted to. So, instead of wracking his brain for something to say, he slid closer until her side pressed against his. She started to draw away but he quickly slipped his hand to her waist, pulling her over softly until her head rested on his shoulder. She continued to resist him for a few seconds before consenting and letting herself relax against him.

As they sat there he took one of her hands in his and whispered, "I know you do. But you didn't do this to her. Hans did. And the sooner she forgets about Hans, the better off she'll be."

Elsa's voice was soft as she replied, "Maybe. But that doesn't make it any easier."

Nodding, Aaron let himself smile. _No, it isn't easy. But people don't need their family and friends for the easy times. They need them for life gets hard and they just want someone to lean on._ He glanced down at Elsa as his mind thought and noticed that she continued to watch Anna closely. There was something alluring in the concern she had for her little sister. In how she wanted to protect her from the world and never let anything bad happen to her. So much so that he leaned down and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead before returning his gaze to the smoldering fire.

He became so engaged in the guttering flames and the woman beside him that he didn't even hear anyone approach until an excited voice said, "Hi guys! Fancy meeting you here!"

Giving a small start, he looked around until he noticed the small snowman standing beside him, smiling as brightly as always. "Oh. Hey, Olaf."

Undeterred by Aaron's subdued response, Olaf plopped down next to the fire and reached out towards the flames as though to warm his hands. Which would have made sense, if his hands weren't twigs. As he did so he asked, "When did you get here?"

"Last night." _It seemed like a big deal, what with everyone there. How did he miss it?_ "Where have you been?"

Olaf seemed to be almost too distracted by the fire to answer, apparently seeing how close he could get to it before his hands caught fire, until he said, "I was checking out one of the geysers. It was so hot and warm and nice. But I think I'm allergic to them."

Wrinkling his brow, Aaron gave him a puzzled look. "To geysers? How so?"

"Because every time I got close my nose fell of and rolled away. Is she okay?"

He'd just noticed Elsa hadn't said a word since he arrived. She eventually noticed his concerned expression, gave the snowman a small smile, said, "I'm fine," and resumed watching Anna.

When Olaf gave Aaron a confused look he muttered, "She's just worried about her sister."

Olaf followed her gaze to the pair, who were still sitting together and talking about something. He watched them for a moment before asking, "What's going on?"

_No use in not telling him. He's going to find out eventually,_ Aaron thought with a sigh. So he gave the snowman a sad look and replied, "Anna just found out that Hans doesn't love her."

The crestfallen expression that crossed his face was almost as heartbreaking as the one Anna had worn, especially given his normally cheerful demeanor. "But… they were going to get married."

Shaking his head, Aaron replied, "It wasn't true love."

They all became quiet after that, looking at the lone pair in silence, until Olaf stood and walked over to join them. He looked hesitant as he drew level with them while asking a question. The response appeared to be positive due to the fact that he gave them a smile and sat beside them. Then he said something and Kristoff gave a laugh while Anna nodded silently.

Aaron watched them converse and a small smile spread across his lips. _Good thing that Anna has such good friends. But then, what is life without the people beside you?_ As he thought this he cast a glance down at Elsa and saw that she was now resting with her eyes closed. While her expression was still vaguely troubled, she still looked incredibly tranquil and it was all he could do not to disturb her with a kiss. Instead he simply lay his cheek against her hair and allowed her sweet scent to play into his nose while he closed his own eyes.

He had no idea how long they sat there, just listening to the soft breeze and the gentle sound of her breathing, when he heard the sound of footsteps. Opening his eyes, he saw that the other three had stood and were now making their way towards them. Anna still looked irritated but not nearly as depressed as she'd been a few minutes ago. Apparently Kristoff was the right person to talk to her.

When they drew close he gave Elsa a small nudge, causing her to open her eyes and give him an inquisitive look, to which he nodded toward the approaching group. Standing slowly, he helped Elsa to her feet before turning to look at the trio apprehensively. When they stopped in front of him and Elsa he looked at Anna and asked, "How are you feeling?"

She didn't respond right away, instead collecting her thoughts silently before she met his gaze and smiled faintly. "I'm okay. Really. It was just… shocking, is all." She then gave Elsa a sheepish look and said, "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

Rather than speaking, Elsa gave her a warm smile and stepped forward to give her another hug. Anna seemed a bit surprised by the show of affection but withdraw. The sisters embraced one another happily for a moment before Elsa drew back and quietly replied, "It's alright. You were pretty upset. I would have been upset if I were in your shoes."

Anna smiled again and nodded. "Yeah. It's just… I was so angry. That you would think to say that and that he would even consider doing such a thing. Now just thinking about it just makes me want to find him and…" She trailed off and her face contorted into another scowl as she thought about it, to the point that Aaron felt she might start yelling again. But then she snapped from her rumination and the anger fled from her once more.

"I'm sure you'll have that chance when we get there," said Elsa, stepping back so that she once more stood alongside Aaron.

"So when are we leaving for Arendelle? I want to pay Hans a visit and wreck that pretty face of his."

Her remark seemed to break what little tension remained and Aaron allowed himself a quiet laugh at her enthusiasm. "I may have already beaten you to it, but I'm sure there's still plenty of face left to wreck," he said jokingly before growing serious again. "Anyway, we can leave as soon as you like. In fact, the sooner the better. It's a long way from here to the capital."

"Then what are we standing around here for? Let's go."

Her eagerness to leave was infectious, but he still felt they had one last thing to do. "Maybe we should eat the fish that Kristoff put so much effort into preparing first."

Anna seemed a bit disappointed by his reluctance to depart so quickly. However, instead of complaining she simply shrugged and said, "But it's probably gone cold."

"Easily remedied." Crouching down again, Aaron leaned over the fish. He held a hand above it and placed his other hand on the rock beneath it before letting fire course into his hands until the glowed bright red, heating the air above the fish and the rock below. Before long it was sizzling just as loudly as when Kristoff had cooked it. "There. Just as though it were fresh off the fire."

With a wave of her hand Elsa conjured plates for everyone and they all sat down beside the fire, leisurely eating while talking about what they'd done over the past few days. Aaron quickly filled them in on the confrontation with Hans's men, then listened as Kristoff explained how they'd come to arrive here. All the while Anna seemed eager to leave but no one else was in all that much of a hurry, so they finished their meal at a reasonable pace before extinguishing the fire and disposing of the dishes.

It didn't take long until they were all ready to go and Aaron took one last look around the outcropping. Most of the trolls had left, going off to do whatever it was that trolls did, and those that remained were either conversing quietly or dozing in the shade. _Strange creatures, but there's a chance I'd be dead if it weren't for them,_ he thought as he looked at them. As he did so Elsa stood beside him and also took in the clearing before turning to him.

When he looked at her she gave him a nervous smile and asked, "We're really doing this? We're really going back?"

Nodding, he returned the smile, replying, "We are. So that you can end the winter and sit upon the throne once more." When Elsa's expression became worried he quickly added, "And Anna can punch Hans in the face."

That seemed to do the trick as she let out a light laugh and said, "I'll enjoy watching that."

"I think we all will." With that he leaned in and gave her a delicate kiss. Luckily, as they embraced one another, she didn't seem to notice his mounting apprehension. He had no idea what was waiting for them in Arendelle, or even if his plan would work. But the time had come for them to return to society and make right that which had been made wrong. For better or worse. Aaron would just have to live with whatever happened.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Thick, ominous clouds were beginning to crawl across the sky and threatened to engulf the morning sun, ushered forth by a cold northern wind. It tore at Aaron's clothes and rustled through his hair but he ignored it as he looked down at the motionless sea. Normally it would have ebbed and flowed with the tides, clashing against the land with a thunder like clamor. However, at that moment all he could hear was the howl of the wind.

That was because the vast and endless sea was frozen over as far as the eye could see, which was definitely not something he was expected. During even the coldest of winters it remained thawed, so seeing it completely engulfed in ice filled him with dread. He'd never even heard of an instance where the entire sea had frozen, and yet all he could see was ice stretching all the way to the horizon.

_I knew Elsa was powerful, but this?_ he thought as he looked out over the glistening expanse of frost. _This is ridiculous. It's almost as though she's frozen the entire world._ He was about to turn away when a disturbing notion entered his mind. _Can she even end the winter? Sure, thawing a river is one thing, but this is the entire ocean!_ Before dread could take ahold of him, though, he quickly banished the thought with a shake of his head. _Of course she can. If she had the power to do this then she has the power to undo it… hopefully._

Unfortunately, whatever optimism that thought gave Aaron quickly vanished when he turned his eyes back to Arendelle. Nestled against the base of the mountains in its fjord, the entire city was covered in a thin blanket of snow while being hemmed in by the impermeable ice. Fortunately it didn't appear as though it had received as much snowfall as the interior but the encroaching storm would probably see to that.

He'd often wondered what it would be like when he first laid eyes on the capital. Would the city be filled with commotion as the people went about their lives? What would his reason be for finally visiting it? He certainly hadn't expected that it would be to put an end to a mystical winter. _How things have changed over the past couple of days._

Just a few weeks earlier he was trudging around the mountains by himself, living a quiet yet simple life. Alone in his little cabin by the lake, Aaron hadn't wanted for anything. He'd been perfectly content to live out his days alone in the wilderness with nothing but the wind to keep him company.

Then he'd met Elsa and suddenly everything was different. Now he was standing on a hill overlooking the sea, staring at a city he'd never seen, traveling with a princess, a mountain man and his reindeer, a talking snowman, and the woman he'd come to love, who, as it turned out, happened to be the queen of all he currently surveyed. And he was starting to find that it was difficult to envision a world without her. How things had changed indeed.

However, this was not how he'd envisioned Arendelle. He'd always pictured a bustling harbor overlooked by the fabled castle with a lively city behind it. Instead, if anything, it almost looked dead. Little movement could be seen between the buildings and even though the breeze normally would have carried the sounds of the town to him he couldn't hear anything. Not the creek of wagon wheels, the bark of dogs, or even the laughter of children. Nothing but the whistling wind.

Even the harbor was motionless. Several ships listed in the bay, locked in place by the thick pack ice that had abruptly swallowed them. While the larger vessels were impervious to the ice some of the smaller ones were beginning to warp as the frozen sea crushed in on them. If not released soon, the entire flotilla could be at the bottom of the fjord.

But that was why they were here. To put an end to the winter and bring life back to the city. Then Elsa would reclaim her throne with Anna by her side. Kristoff would probably stick around, along with Sven. In the days it had taken to get here he and Anna had steadily grown closer to the point where they became almost inseparable, walking together on the road and staying up late into the night talking. In fact, now that he thought about it, every night when Aaron and Elsa settled down to sleep he could still hear them chatting by the warm glow of the fire. At least Anna seemed to be getting over Hans quickly. Olaf would probably just continue to do whatever he did all day.

As for Aaron… well, he didn't know what he would do. He hadn't lived in a town in over a decade and he knew virtually no one in this one, which meant moving there would be more than a little difficult. And while he loved Elsa and wanted to be with her, it wasn't like he could just move into the castle with her. But neither could he just return to the mountains. There was no way he just going to up and leave her, so that was no longer an option. He'd just have to think of something over the next couple of days.

His ears perked up at the sound of crunching footprints so he turned his head to see Kristoff draw level with him atop the bluff and take in the view. His face grew grim as he looked at the distant city before he looked over at Aaron and said, "Arendelle. Looks just like it did when we left."

Turning back to the city, Aaron scanned the rooftops for a moment before simply saying, "Huh."

Kristoff flashed him a curious glance, frowning slightly. "What?"

After staring at Arendelle for several more seconds Aaron looked back at Kristoff with a shrug. "Nothing. I just always thought it'd be bigger."

That got a laugh as Kristoff shook his head and smirked, asking, "What'd you expect? A bustling metropolis?"

"No, but I have to admit I am a bit disappointed," replied Aaron. When he got another frown he gestured at the city. "I mean, this is Arendelle we're talking about. Capital of the entire kingdom. I grew up hearing stories about it. And it turns out it's not much bigger than my hometown."

It was Kristoff's turn to shrug as he said, "It may not be the most populous city in the kingdom, or the biggest... actually, now that I think about it I'm pretty sure Harstal is much bigger. Anyway, it's a very important trade hub for both Arendelle and neighboring kingdoms. Not to mention it's where the royal family resides." As he said the last part he pointed at the distant castle.

Aaron followed his finger to look at the complex. "That's where they live?"

"Yeah. Nice, isn't it?"

Nice was an understatement. At least that part lived up to his expectations. Situated on an isle in the middle of the fjord, it squatted like a silent sentinel protecting the harbor. Thick walls of hewn stone hemmed in around its edges, complete with stoic turrets. The main keep shot up in a towering spire that rose high above the rest of the edifice with a peak that reached higher than any building he'd ever seen. A single bridge connected the fortress to the city it presided over.

As he scanned the colossal structure he let out a low whistle. "Swanky. I wouldn't have minded growing up in a castle. Must have been nice."

Nodding, Kristoff said, "To have all your needs seen to by a staff of servants."

"To always have a nice, comfy place to sleep," Aaron replied, smiling at the thought.

"To never have to want for anything because you already have it."

"It's not all it's cracked up to be," said Anna.

They both jumped slightly and turned to see her standing behind them, also looking out over the ice. She'd approached so quietly that Aaron hadn't noticed her, but now her face looked distraught as she gazed at her frozen home.

Seeing it in such a state seemed to upset her tremendously so rather than dwelling on it, he elected to try to distract her. "Oh really?" he asked, turning to face her. "And, pray, was anything either of us just said untrue?"

"No, that was all true," Anna said with a nod. "But there are drawbacks to living in a castle."

Arching an eyebrow, he crossed his arms and prompted her to continue. "Like what?"

She paused to think about it before smiling. Looking up at him, she replied, "For one it can get kind of drafty in the winter and a bit stuffy in the summer."

Letting out a laugh, Aaron shook his head and gave her a pitying look. "Oh, poor you. How did you ever live with such hardships?" _If that's what you have to put up with for living in a castle, then sign me up._

Anna's mouth turned into a grin as she fought back her own laughter. "I know. It was a hard life. Elsa and I were lucky to survive." They all shared a chuckle, but then her smile faded and her eyes grew wistful. "That's not the worst part, though."

A twinge of concern poked at his stomach at her sudden mood shift. He fell silent for a moment, waiting for her to continue, and when she didn't he asked, "And what's the worst part?"

Her eyes grew distant as she delved into distant memories. As she did so she spoke slowly and quietly. "Honestly, it can get kind of… lonely. While you do have lots of people to see after your every need, you don't really have any friends."

_Ah. Yeah, that would get old quickly._ Anna appeared genuinely upset by the thought so he stepped forward and slung an arm over her shoulders, giving her a small squeeze accompanied by a warm smile. "Well you've got a friend in me." When she eventually returned the smile he turned his into a grin and added, "Just so long as you can hook me up with someone to do my laundry for me. I hate doing it myself."

That got the exact response he was looking for as she laughed again and gave him a squeeze as well. "I'll see what I can do. Good to know your friendship can be bought with a little water and soap."

"Eh, I'm easy." Looking back to Kristoff, he decided to get back to the matter at hand. "So how far out would you say we are?"

Kristoff was watching them with a smile of his own and when Aaron spoke to him he didn't react right away. Then, with a few blinks, he realized he'd been asked a question and looked towards Arendelle. "Hard to tell. Normally it'd be few hours, but we still need to get over that knoll there and work our way down to the beach and they're both covered in ice so it'll be slow going. I'd say we'll get there by around noon."

Aaron was also looking at the fjord when his eyes lifted to the ominous cloud bank creeping down from the north. "That storm could slow us down."

That seemed to be Kristoff's thinking as well as he looked at the glowering thunderhead, though he seemed to be a little more optimistic about it. "I'm hoping it will blow by. Worst comes to worst we can just hunker down and wait for it to pass."

"Or we could try to make it there before it hits." _The sooner we reach Arendelle the better._

Shrugging, Kristoff replied, "Maybe. If we want to do that, though, we'd better keep moving." After he was done he turned to Anna and said, "Hey Anna, come with me. There's a great view of the entire fjord up ahead I want to show you."

She smiled at the invitation and nodded, saying. "Okay." Anna then flashed Aaron a quick grin before slipping out from under his arm and joining Kristoff as they made their way down the slope.

Aaron watched the pair for a moment, smiling fondly, and was about to turn away when he saw Kristoff slowly reach out and take Anna's hand in his. She paused at his touch, looking down at their joined hands with mild uncertainty. Before too long, though, she gave Kristoff another smile and proceeded forward as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. After watching them go a little farther, Aaron realized he had held his breath when Kristoff had made his move. Letting out a chuckle, he shook his head. _At least his boldness appears to have paid off. It's nice to see that their relationship is progressing nicely._

That's when he heard a melodious laugh and turned to see that the rest of the party had finally caught up. Elsa and Olaf walked side by side through the snow, talking about something, while Sven trailed along behind them. Whatever they were talking about was causing Elsa to giggle as Olaf waved his arms around excitedly. However, rather than listening Aaron found himself eyeing her new outfit for what must have been the tenth time.

Elsa had elected to lose her gown and cape in favor of more sensible garments for the journey. Instead of a full length dress she now wore a skirt similar to the one Anna wore only hers was a delicate cerulean rather than a dark cobalt. Though not as slimming as her other dress it did allow for a wider range of movement. Rather than sticking with the heels she normally wore she instead went with a pair of sapphire knee-high boots, and while Aaron quite liked how her old shoes made her legs look he had to admit boots were much more practical for traipsing around in the snow. To complete the ensemble her cape had morphed into a downy cloak that hugged her shoulders and trialed just above the ground. It was seemingly made of celeste snow that was incredibly soft to the touch yet somehow held up against the wind.

One of these days he was going to have to ask her what it felt like to wear clothes completely fashioned out of ice but at that moment all he could do was marvel at how elegantly the hood of her cloak framed her face. She seemed to sense his stare because she suddenly looked away from Olaf and caught him looking, piercing him with her azure eyes. They stared at each other for a moment before she smiled and looked back to Olaf, who hadn't even noticed her lapse in attention.

Aaron felt a smile of his own as they approached him and he finally tuned in to what Olaf was saying. "… and that's the fifth thing I'm going to do once summer gets here."

Chuckling, he responded before Elsa could, asking, "You've got a list, huh?"

Olaf beamed up at him and replied, "Of course. I wanna be ready for it. Oh, wow! What a view!" The snowman came to a halt, looking out over the frozen ocean. Then, just as quickly as he'd stopped he resumed walking, following the retreating Anna and Kristoff down the hill. "Hey, you guys want to go sledding after this? Not going to get another chance anytime soon."

Staring after Olaf, Aaron shook his head in disbelief. _After seeing one of the most awe-inspiring things anyone has ever seen, an entire sea cased completely in ice, he wants to go _sledding_? Unbelievable._ _But then Olaf had never seen the sea before, so how could he know what it's supposed to look like?_ Sven also paused to look out at the icy landscape only to give Aaron a bray and traipse after Olaf.

Elsa, on the other hand, was having a reaction very similar to his own initial one as she looked at the motionless sea. Her eyes widened with shock as she scanned the far horizon for any sign of water only to see more ice. Then she turned to look at Arendelle and her face grew dismayed.

They both stood in silence, her watching the city and Aaron watching her, until she finally said, "It's worse than I thought it would be."

"Agreed," he replied, moving so he stood beside her and looked at the wintery town. Trying to lighten the mood, he jokingly said, "Who knew you were so powerful that you could freeze an entire ocean."

Unfortunately that only seemed to make her sadder as her eyes flicked to the sea for a moment before returning to Arendelle. Her voice was heavy as she said, "I don't know if I can thaw all of this."

"Sure you can. I've seen you do incredible feats with your powers, from thawing an entire river to creating one of the most spectacular things I've ever seen."

"A river is one thing, Aaron. But this?" she replied nervously, voicing the exact same concerns he'd felt.

Rather than letting his anxiety show, though, he put on a brave smile and shrugged. "It's no different. Clearly size doesn't matter to your abilities, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to freeze it in the first place."

"Maybe," Elsa consented, but her eyes remained worried as she gazed at the castle. "It's just that… this is my home. Look what I've done to it."

His smile slowly slipped away until he was frowning slightly and his voice became heavy. "Then it's your responsibility to save it. If you don't, Elsa, who will?" he asked solemnly, watching her closely. When she didn't respond right away he added in a gentler tone, "And don't worry, once the people see you bring back summer I'm sure they'll flock to your side."

Her gaze shifted to him and she gave him a long look before smiling weakly, quietly replying, "Here's hoping you're right." After a pause she looked as though she was going to say something else when a voice cut in.

"Hey! You two coming?!" They both looked up to see Olaf looking back at them from partway down the hill. When they saw him he waved at them to follow before turning away and continuing forward.

Swallowing his irritation at the snowman for interrupting, Aaron turned back to Elsa and held out a hand, trying to appear confident. "Come on, Elsa. The sooner we get there the sooner you can put things right."

Her gaze was still somewhat trepidatious until she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When her eyes reopened the fear was gone, replaced by determination and she gave him a confident nod while taking his hand. They then started walking down the slope, following the rest towards the distant fjord and the city nestled there. While he walked Aaron's eyes lifted to the billowing clouds swirling above Arendelle, ready to greet them with a squall. _This is going to be an interesting day,_ he thought as lightning suddenly spat from one cloud to another and thunder rumbled across the land.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

The snow crunched beneath Elsa's boots as she walked along the edge of the cliff. Down below the frozen water of the fjord lay still. The trail wove and winded its way down the crag, dropping them lower and lower until they would eventually reach the base of the sound. There their path would lead them alongside the water until they rounded the hill and arrived in Arendelle. The city had long since disappeared when they dropped down into the fjord, obstructed by the mountain it huddled against, but it was still there. Getting closer with every step.

All the while the storm clouds continued to swirl overhead, darkening the skies as they clawed at the far horizon. Though no snow had started to fall yet she could feel the frost building in the air as the storm prepared to assault the valley. A fell wind tore through the fjord, whistling off the rocks and trees, before it stopped. Silence would prevail for a moment until the wind returned stronger than before. Even worse was the occasional strike of lightning, stabbing into the mountainside and sending thunder echoing throughout the fjord.

Up ahead of her Anna and Kristoff walked side by side, chatting animatedly as they trod along. Sven followed close behind with Olaf sitting on his back, occasionally interjecting into the conversation. However, she didn't hear a word any of them said. She was barely aware of Aaron, who was walking right beside her.

Instead, all she noticed was a cloying anxiety was starting to worm its way through her. It had first formed when she'd laid eyes on Arendelle for the first time in days. Seeing the city locked in a frozen slumber stripped away her courage and left her shaken, allowing the fear to seep back in. It had since only grown stronger with every step. The closer she came to Arendelle, to her fate, the greater the dread became.

But it wasn't a dread of what she had to do. The events at the river had shown her one thing. That she had full control over her powers. That they listened to her now and she could do whatever she wished with them. Even though an entire sea had been frozen by her hand, it was going to be her hand that thawed it. For now, her fear was directed elsewhere. Not at the world around them, but at the man who now walked beside her.

She gave a start when Aaron reached over and caught her hand, his fingers interlacing with hers. His thumb slowly rubbed the back of her hand as he softly asked, "Are you okay? You seem a little uneasy."

He was giving her a concerned expression when she glanced over at him, his amber eyes watching her closely. Normally his gaze clamed or even excited her, freezing her heart or sending it into a frenzy, but right then it did nothing to aid the clawing fear in her belly. Elsa tried to give him a tepid smile but her lips wouldn't cooperate so she let her eyes drop to the ground. When she did finally speak her voice was little more than a whisper. "I'm terrified."

Aaron remained silent at first, still giving her a cautious look, before he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and in said in a comforting tone, "Don't worry, you can do this. I believe in you. And I won't let anything happen to you."

Unable to look at him, she turned her head to gaze out over the frozen fjord. Her eyes roamed aimlessly until they settled on a lone hawk gliding over the ice. It soared through the air, occasionally flapping its wings to battle the mounting wind, while scanning the landscape for something, anything to eat. As she watched it she replied, "I know. But that's not what I'm afraid of."

Again he didn't respond right away, letting the breeze do the talking as they walked. When he did speak it was slowly and patiently as he coaxed her to continue. "Then what are you afraid of?"

Another clash of thunder roared across the sky and the hawk suddenly banked away to the south. Beating its wings furiously, it rose over the far ridge and flashed out of sight. Watching it go, she let out a sigh and returned her gaze to the ground. _Come on, Elsa. If you can't tell him, who can you tell?_ Looking back at Aaron, she saw that he was giving her a beckoning smile, silently urging her to speak, so she pushed aside her fears and simply said, "Losing you."

Letting out a brief chuckle, he gave her an appreciative grin before saying, "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."

"Yes, but I don't know what's going to happen once we get there," she replied, looking at the hill that hid Arendelle. "I doubt Hans is just going to relinquish control of the city."

Aaron shook his head, following her stare as his voice turned hard. "No, he won't. Even if he puts up a fight I defeated Hans once before and I'll do it again."

"I know you will," she replied quietly, shooting him a glance. His face now looked confident and determined without a trace of fear. Aaron was fully prepared to do whatever he had to. _If only I could say the same,_ she thought, letting herself come to a halt. When he also stopped she added, "He isn't the only thing that could take you away from me, though."

"Elsa? What is it?" Concern rippled across his face when he looked back at her and tried to suss out what was upsetting her.

Drawing in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to steady herself. _It's now or never. Either I ask him now or turn around and never look back._ Reopening her eyes, Elsa turned so that she faced him directly and reached out so that she was holding both his hands. When she'd done so she raised her eyes and peered deeply into his tawny ones. They stared back, continuing to shimmer as they always did while scrutinizing hers closely.

She continued to look into those smoldering spheres as she quietly said, "The moment I set foot in that city I'll be the queen again. That means everything's going to change. I'll have thousands of people depending on me to run the kingdom and responsibilities that may push my own personal wishes aside. Maybe even our relationship. Can you live with that?"

While she spoke every trace of emotion fled Aaron's face until he wore a guarded expression and his eyes became unfathomable. He didn't speak for several seconds, his expression giving nothing away, until he measuredly replied, "You'll still be the woman I fell in love with."

That managed to lure a smile out of her and she glanced away. But the smile quickly faded before she took a step back, withdrawing her hands from his. He continued to give her a penetrating stare as she slowly shook her head. "No, I won't. Aaron, you fell in love with a girl who was alone and free in the mountains. She didn't have worries or concerns to distract her. She was able to do what she pleased and love who she wished. And she loves you with all her heart. But as soon as I enter Arendelle that girl will be gone. What I'm asking is can you look past her?" Letting her face grow serious, she drew herself up into a dignified stance and gave him a piercing look. "Can you fall in love with a queen?"

Whereas the rest of his face remained emotionless, whatever he was feeling continued to pool into his eyes until his gaze became so intense it felt as though it would begin to burn through her. Slowly, deliberately, he stepped forward and gently took her face in his hands. Holding her only an inch away, he whispered in a deep voice, "Elsa, I am yours and you are mine. Now and forever, no matter what happens. Even if you're the queen or a lowly peasant I'll be yours as long as you shall have me."

His words helped to quell her turbulent thoughts, especially when alongside with the strident heat radiating from him that urged her to close the gap between her and him, but she still wasn't quite satisfied. "That's easy to say now, but what about when I'm sitting on that throne?"

Aaron's brows knitted together into a heady glare and he let out a shaky breath. Though a vortex of emotions seemed to be coursing through him his voice remained steady as he said, "Then I shall love the new you just as fiercely as I fell in love with the old one." His face then gradually softened again and he gave her a minute smile, his tone dropping to where she could barely hear him. "And who knows. Maybe, when we're alone with only each other, I'll see her again."

Only after he was done talking did she finally allow herself a genuine smile. He always did have a way of using his words to both allay her fears and also stoke her desire. His eyes continued to bore into hers as he slowly leaned in, his lips reaching towards hers. Elsa let her eyes close as she reveled his arousing scent and lavished in the calming warmth of his hands…

"Everything okay back there?!"

After a brief pause they both turned to see the others looking back at them with concerned expressions. All except Anna, who had been the one to interrupt and now wore a devilish grin as she watched them. A flash of vexation passed through her as she gave her sister a glare. _Anna!_

Even Aaron, who was normally so good at concealing his emotions, let anger seep into his voice, replying sternly, "We're fine, thank you! Just having a private conversation!" He then gave a small sigh, letting his hands fall to his sides before asking, "Kristoff! How much farther?!"

Elsa was barely able to suppress a groan as the moment slipped away fruitlessly while Kristoff answered, "Not far! The city should be just around that bend up ahead!"

"Then it's time," Aaron muttered, taking her hand back in his and walking forward. "Gather round, all of you. I want to fill you in on the plan."

"Finally," Kristoff breathed, heading back towards them. To Anna he said, "I told you he had a plan."

"Waited a little late to tell us," she replied, also walking but she hesitated when she saw the vicious scowl Elsa was giving her. _Pull a stunt like that again, Anna, and I'll freeze you like an ice cube._ Watching her warily, Anna put on a sheepish smile and looked at Aaron. "And, um, what exactly is the plan?"

He didn't seem to notice their brief exchange as he calmly replied, "We need to get Elsa into the city where all the people can see her. Once there, she will lift the winter in front of all of them and reclaim the crown."

Turning to her, Kristoff asked, "Are you sure you can end the winter? I mean, you froze the entire ocean."

She continued to give Anna a warning look for a moment before turning to him and nodding. "I can do it." _If I did it I can undo it, right?_

Aaron gave her another squeeze coupled with a warm smile, saying, "Of course you can." He then turned back to the other two and asked, "Is there a place we can go where lots of people can see her clearly?"

"Yeah," Anna replied with a nod. "The main courtyard. It's in front of the bridge to the castle."

"Then that's where we're going. The hard part is going to be getting Elsa through the city unnoticed."

Whatever resentment Elsa was still harboring for her sister vanished beneath a wave of confusion at his words and she shot him a puzzled glance. _Wait, what? Unnoticed?_ Kristoff appeared to have the exact same thoughts she did, protesting, "Wait, no one said anything about sneaking her in."

Aaron nodded patiently, unphased by their bafflement as he said, "The moment Hans learns she's returned he'll move against her, and the last time he saw her he tried to kill her. I'm not about to give him a second chance so the less time he has to react the better. We don't have to get her all the way to the plaza undetected, but the farther the better."

Still extremely befuddled, Elsa asked, "So how are we going to do that? Sneak in around the back?"

Shaking his head, he gave her an amused smile and replied, "No. We're going to hide you in plain sight. He turned to her sister and said, "Anna, no one in Arendelle has seen you in days. Once someone sees you word of your return is sure to travel fast and before long I'm sure a crowd will gather, which is perfect. We want a crowd for when the show starts. Hopefully they'll be too distracted by you to pay any attention to the rest of us."

"And what will we be doing?" interjected Kristoff.

"You and I will be trying to make sure that no one can get a good look at Elsa. Kristoff, you'll walk alongside Anna and be guiding Sven. The two of you should be able to prevent anyone from seeing her from that side. Elsa, you'll be between me and Sven where it will be hard for people to get a good look at you."

_That's it?_ Elsa thought as she listened._ That's the plan? Just walk in and hope that no one looks directly at me?_ Once again she and Kristoff seemed to be on the same wavelength as he folded his arms and gave Aaron a nonplused look. "I'm starting to smell a lot of ifs coming off this plan."

A twinge of irritation entered Aaron's face though he kept his voice calm. "It's the best I can do with what we have. The alternative is I can go down the street juggling fire, but this seems a little less conspicuous." He paused for a moment and gave each of them a hard look, as though challenging them to come up with a new plan. When no one spoke he continued. "Remember, we want to attract attention, just so long as it's the right kind of attention. So that means that Elsa, you need to keep your hood up and don't talk to anyone. And Kristoff, unless someone talks to you directly, let Anna do the talking. She's the focus of attention and we're just her escort."

Shaking his head, Kristoff frowned and said, "This is not going to work."

"Do you have a better plan?" Aaron asked, giving him a cool stare.

Not intimidated by his gaze, Kristoff shrugged. "No, but that doesn't mean that this is a good one."

"Your concern is noted," Aaron replied brusquely before turning to the rest of them. "Does anyone have any questions?"

At first no one spoke. Then Olaf piped up. "Yeah. What about me?"

"Oh. You, Olaf?" Aaron turned to give the little snowman a befuddled look, having obviously completely forgotten to incorporate him in some way. After some quick thought he said, "Tell you what, do me a favor and stay out of sight. The last thing we need is for people to start panicking about a walking, talking snowman."

Olaf's broad smile quickly faded and he gave Aaron a crestfallen look. "Aw! I want to help too!"

When Aaron remained silent Anna knelt down beside him and gave him a smile. "You can," she said warmly. "Just sneak around the back and meet us at the castle. But stay out of sight."

That seemed to satisfy Olaf as his smile returned enthusiastically and he gave her a salute. "No problem. I'm good at sneaking. See you guys there." With that he turned and ran up the slope, weaving through the trees. With every step his feet gave off a loud squelch as they rubbed against the snow.

After waiting until he was out of sight Anna turned back to them and frowned. "He's not going to stay out of sight, is he?"

Shaking his head yet again, Aaron gave a shrug and replied, "Probably not. But as long as he's not drawing attention to us or getting himself killed I don't care. So is everyone set on the plan?"

Anna didn't hesitate to nod enthusiastically, apparently having no qualms about the plan Aaron had laid out, while Kristoff hesitated for a few seconds before giving a single nod. Seeing them both agree, though, gave Elsa a twinge of doubt and she felt as though she had to say something. "Wait. Anna, Kristoff. You don't have to do this."

Everyone was silent as they both gave her confused looks until Anna quietly asked, "What do you mean?"

Giving them a frown, Elsa said, "You don't have to go in with us. The last thing Hans wants is for me to return and he already knows Aaron's face, so he'll be watching for us. He may even try to kill us. But there's no reason for him to harm the two of you. Not unless you give him a reason by helping me. If you want, you can wait here until it's all over. I'll understand if-"

"No, Elsa," Anna replied, cutting her off. She adopted a fierce stare and squared her shoulders. "You're my sister and I love you. That means your battles are my battles and I'll stand by your side no matter what happens."

Elsa couldn't help but smile at her sister's loyalty as she spoke. It was heartwarming to know that Anna was willing to do whatever it took to help her restore the balance of Arendelle. Turning to Kristoff, she saw that he was giving her a measured look. After a moment he stepped alongside Anna and placed an arm around her shoulders, hugging her close. "Wherever Anna goes, I go. And I've come with you this far. Might as well see this through to the end." He then paused and smiled, bowing his head slightly before adding, "Your majesty."

She didn't respond right away, instead watching the two of them as they looked at each other and smiled. In that moment she saw how happy her sister was, and not like the supposed love she'd felt for Hans. This looked like a deep rapture that radiated through her entire body as she gazed up at Kristoff while he looked more than content just to hold her. Maybe he did deserve her sister.

When they both looked back at her she gave them a gracious smile and quietly said, "Thank you. Both of you."

Aaron had watched the entire exchange in silence, wearing a neutral expression while he watched them all. But when they both gave her another smile she felt him give her hand another squeeze, drawing her attention back to him. His eyes were once more smoldering intensely as he quietly asked, "Are you ready, Elsa?"

Drawing in a deep breath, she paused before answering. Seeing Anna so happy and hearing Aaron reaffirm his love for her had assailed the doubt within her to the point that, while some still remained, it only dwelled in the far corners of her mind. So, feeding off the encouragement she felt at that moment, she nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."

He gave her a smile and turned to continue down the trail but she tightened her grip on his hand, holding him in place. When he turned back to give her a quizzical look, she also smiled and said, "But first, one last thing."

Hesitating, he took a step closer to her and his expression became concerned. "What?"

Finally seeing him so tantalizingly close again stoked a desire within her so strong that she decided to respond as intensely as possible. Rather than answering with words, though, she pressed her body against his and gave him a feverish kiss. As her arms quickly wrapped around him and she felt his hands embrace her she blocked out the world, pouring every emotion she'd felt that day into that one kiss. Every hope, every fear, and every little nuance in between. But most importantly she let her deep and ardent love bleed through as she channeled her entire being through her lips into him.

His lips embraced hers with an insatiable hunger, with no hesitation or uncertainty as they voraciously demanded more. They began to burn with a scalding heat that built in waves of warmth and eventually reached a blistering temperature but the slight pain she felt only caused her own lust to grow. Her fingers raked through his hair, clutching to him desperately, while his arms enfolded her and held her against him. All the while her heart hammered away in her chest and every breath came in the form of a ragged gasp.

In fact, he held her so strongly that she nearly had to forcefully pry herself when she finally pulled away. When she opened her eyes and looked into Aaron's she was pleased to see that whatever yearning she was feeling paled in comparison to what was now writhing in him. It almost looked as though she'd awoken a ravenous desire within him that he was now fighting to keep at bay. His breath was heavy and his body trembled slightly but he kept his eyes locked onto hers as he slowly regained control of himself.

Eventually both their breathing returned to their normal rates and she felt her heart gradually return to its normal pace. Only then did she extract herself from his embrace. Now she ready for whatever awaited them. Let Hans throw everything he had at them. At least she'd been able to kiss Aaron one more time.

Taking a step back, she slowly raised her hood and gave him a feisty grin. "Okay. Now I'm ready."

At first he didn't respond, taking several steadying breaths while fighting the urge to kiss her again. Eventually, though, he appeared to calm himself to the point where he could talk again and turned to look at Anna, who was giving him an amused look. Speaking in a husky voice, he said, "Anna. Lead on."


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Snow was beginning to drift down from the heavens as they approached the outskirts of Arendelle. The wind had temporarily all but abated within the fjord, though it could still be heard howling over the peaks far above. Slowly, as they walked, the pall of clouds had advanced until it crouched directly over the city, glowering down at it and raining down the occasional thunderbolt.

A pair of guards stood to one side of the path, watching the overhead storm and muttering to one another. Then one of them noticed the approaching party and pointed at them, saying something to his comrade. _Okay, Anna. Show time,_ Elsa thought as they drew near.

Putting on a friendly smile, Anna gave them a small wave and said, "Good day, gentlemen. Crazy weather we're having."

Elsa's stomach gave a small lurch when the younger one didn't seem fazed by her charming demeanor. Motioning his spear at them, he gave her a glare and growled, "Halt! State your business!"

Fortunately, the other guard seemed to recognize her instantly and elbowed his comrade in the gut, hissing at him, "That's Princess Anna, you fool. Show some respect." He then looked back to Anna and gave a small bow, smiling broadly. "Your highness, welcome back to Arendelle. What a relief to see you return unharmed. Please forgive my colleague. He hasn't gotten enough sleep."

"It's quite alright," Anna replied, returning the smile. Elsa had to give her sister credit, she didn't miss a beat. She made to keep walking but hesitated and gave the pair an inquisitive look. "If you don't mind me asking, what are you two doing out here in the cold when you could be inside getting warm by a fire?"

The man smiled again and said, "Orders, your highness. Since you left Prince Hans in charge and didn't come back he felt he had no choice but to declare martial law until either this winter ends or you return. That means monitoring who enters and leaves the city. Thank goodness you're back, though," he added after a pause.

"You sound surprised to see me," said Anna, giving him an inquisitive look.

The two shared a quick glance before he turned back to her, his smirk turning sheepish. "To tell the truth, your highness, we thought you were dead. At least, that's what we were told."

Anna drew her head back, clearly flustered by this news, but she kept her composure as she asked, "And who told you that?"

Again the two looked at each other for a moment. This time, though, they both stared at the ground when he said, "Prince Hans, your highness."

A twinge of anger passed through Elsa at those words and she fought to keep her mouth shut. _Very clever, Hans. Tell everyone she's dead so that there is no heir to the throne and the people have no choice but to crown you king._ Anna was clearly thinking the same thing, but she didn't say as much. Instead she put on a bright smile, saying, "Oh. Well as you can see I'm alive and well. And eager to return home after a long journey."

The guard stepped to one side before bowing again, ushering her forward. "Of course, your highness. Please proceed."

"But we have orders to search-" the other began to protest before he got a stomp on the foot for his trouble.

"Stow it, unless you want to be on mess duty for the rest of your life."

Anna nodded to them and paused to give a short curtsy. "Thank you, gentlemen. Carry on protecting the realm."

Putting her in front seemed to do the trick as neither of them so much as glanced at Elsa as she passed. The one was too busy stammering his gratitude to Anna while the other stared ashamedly down at his feet. Perhaps Aaron's plan could work after all.

After waiting until they had passed out of the hearing range of the guards Anna glanced back at her and whispered, "Martial law? Why would he do that?"

Aaron was the one to respond as he muttered, "Hans must think he no longer has the support of the people. He may be trying to consolidate power before he tries to pull a coup."

"A coup?" Kristoff asked, shooting him a troubled look.

Nodding, Aaron glanced over at Elsa and shrugged. "That's what I would do if I was trying to take over."

By then they were in the city proper and she took a quick look around. Finally, for the first time since her coronation party, Elsa was back in Arendelle. Only, she didn't remember it always being so quiet. It was normally a busy city, with people bustling around loudly as they went about their lives. Now, even though there were plenty of people on the street, very few of them spoke and only in whispers. Everyone kept their heads down, occasionally casting a furtive glance at someone else. Posted at every corner was a guard who looked out over the people with a harsh stare. Normally the guards were there to keep the peace, but these men seemed to be there to keep people in line. _So this is what Hans's rule looks like._

That all changed when people caught sight of Anna. Whispers quickly swept through the throngs as others pointed at her and murmured animatedly to their neighbors. A path quickly formed in the crowd, allowing them to pass unhindered, with even a few people calling out to Anna. When the guards didn't react even more cries were heard, blessing Anna on her return and thanking her for her presence. Pausing, she gave a small wave to the people and got a cheer in response. _They really do love her._ And better yet, no one seemed be looking at Elsa or the others. Or at least that's what she thought.

"Hey! I know you."

Elsa froze, not daring to move. Had someone recognized her? Timidly she turned her head to see who had spoken and saw a trio of men walking towards them. It was all she could do not to give a sigh of relief that none of them were looking at her. That relief, however, quickly fled when she realized they were guards and they were looking directly at Aaron. Even more unsettling was the crimson color of the lead man's coat.

Aaron's face didn't give away any hint that he recognized them as he put on an innocent expression. Shaking his head, he said, "Sorry, you must have me mistaken for someone else. I've never been to Arendelle before."

The guards stopped in front of him, with the crimson man putting on a hateful sneer when he got a closer look at him. His voice dropped menacingly as he leaned forward and growled, "No, I'm not mistaken. You're that bastard from the mountains."

Several seconds passed where no one said or did anything, leaving only the whispering wind to speak. Then Aaron let the innocence drain from his face, replaced by a terrible hatred. "Why don't you turn around and walk away before I continue where I left off?" he replied, his eyes starting to glow. He then glanced at the man's throat and smirked. "How's the neck?"

The guard's scowl deepened as he reached up and pulled away his collar to reveal a gruesome burn arcing across his throat. Disturbingly, the blackened flesh seemed to have formed in the pattern of a hand. Chuckling quietly, Aaron gave him a cruel grin and said, "That's a good look for you."

Instead on answering right away, the man smoothed his collar back into place and glanced back at his fellow guards. "You know, we have orders to arrest you on sight should you be stupid enough to come here."

As he said this he looked back at Aaron, letting his eyes pass over Elsa as he did so. He seemed like he was about to say something else when he froze, his mouth still ajar. After a moment he slowly stated to look back at her but before he did so she turned and looked the other way, hoping her hood blocked his vision. _He recognized me,_ she thought, her heart beginning to hasten. _So much for remaining unnoticed._

Luckily, before he could say or do anything, Anna stepped in and called his attention away from her. "Is there a problem here?" she asked in a mild tone.

The man didn't answer right away and Elsa could still feel his eyes boring into the back of her head. _Please don't let him know it's me._ After what seemed like an eternity, though, she heard him say, "Not at all, you're highness. We were just about to arrest this man."

"You'll do no such thing," replied Anna, adopting a stern expression. "He's accompanying me."

"Sorry, princess, but our orders are from Prince Hans himself. If you have a problem with them you'll have to take it up with him. Now, are you going to come quietly, or are we going to go another round?"

Aaron's words came thick and heated, dripping with wrath as he said, "Think real carefully about your next move. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Deciding to risk a glance, Elsa turned her head back and saw that the guards were once more focused on Aaron. The other two were shifting their grip on their spears while the crimson man slowly moved his hand towards his sword. Aaron already had a firm grasp on the hilt of his own blade and seemed to be daring them to make the first move as a trace of smoke wafted up from his hands.

That was when she realized that the entire street had become deathly quiet. All eyes were on the men as they prepared to assail one another. Nobody said anything or moved apart from some parents ushering their children into a nearby alleyway. The fear in their faces was palpable as they braced for the coming storm. As she watched them it occurred to her that this could only end in one of two ways. Either someone could put an end to it before it started or someone would die. And since they'd already ignored Anna that left only one person who they might listen to. _So be it._ Though her heart trembled and her hands shook she took a deep breath and stepped alongside Aaron.

"Enough!"

Her voice rang loud and true through the silent street, calling everyone's attention to her except for Aaron, who continued to glower at the man. _No turning back now,_ she thought as she reached up and took ahold of her hood. Slowly she drew it back, revealing her face to all the people around her as she glared at the guards. Adopting a commanding stance, she said, "Stand down, all of you."

If people were surprised to see Anna, then it was nothing compared to the reaction she got. Chattering broke out all around her, accompanied by a few shocked cries. No one seemed to have expected her to return as they all stared at her with both surprise and fear. None seemed more shaken than the guard that she now stared at, who seemed to wither slightly under her chilly ire. Bowing his head, he stammered, "Queen Elsa! What a… what a surprise."

Elsa made to step forward but hesitated, noticing that Aaron was still coiled to strike. Her eyes flipped to him until he sensed her gaze. Though it appeared that he desperately wanted to strike the man down he glanced at her to see that she now fixed him in place with a stern look. He didn't react at first, glaring back at her, before consenting with a nod and stepping back, keeping a firm grip on his sword.

With the tension somewhat diminished she turned her focus back on the guards and asked, "Where is Hans?"

"In the castle, your majesty," the crimson man replied, not daring to meet her eye.

Taking a step towards him, she said, "Then take him this message for me." Her voice dropped to the point that only he could hear her and she let her anger for the man seep into his words as she whispered, "Tell him Queen Elsa has come to reclaim her throne."


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

The commotion in the crowd died away just as quickly as it started when Elsa turned to look at them. Her eyes swept over the people, causing them to shy away as if they were afraid she would freeze them on the spot. She didn't acknowledge their uncertainty, instead glancing up at the darkening storm clouds overhead.

Aaron also looked at the crowd, frowning slightly. _Well, so much for that plan,_ he thought, watching the crimson man disappear into the mass in the direction of the castle. _No sense in waiting around here, though._ Stepping next to Elsa, he murmured, "We should keep moving. Hans'll soon know you're here."

Rather than answering, she cast him a quick glance and nodded. Looking over at Anna and Kristoff, she said, "Alright, follow me. I still have a winter to end."

With that she turned and continued towards the castle. However, she had entered the city in a nervous fashion, with her head down and her gait timid. Now she strode forward with purpose, her head held high and her stride imposing. Whatever uncertainties or fears she'd had vanished the moment she had removed her hood. The crowd quickly parted before her, no one daring to stand in her way.

Aaron waited a moment before trailing along behind her, marveling at the sudden change in her demeanor. _So this is what a queen looks like,_ he thought, watching her step with confidence. While she was normally assured in her actions there had always been a trace of uncertainty, especially when dealing with her powers. There was no trace now. The queen had returned.

Now that Elsa led they moved through the streets quickly. And everywhere they went the people reacted the same way. With a great deal of shock and marginal amounts of fear. Some even seemed angry to see her but no one dared to say a word to her directly, instead muttering to one another under their breath when she passed. No matter how they felt, though, they all followed until a sizeable group of people trailed along behind them when they reached the main courtyard.

By then the storm had begun to rage in earnest. The thick pall of clouds stretched across the sky, blotting out the horizon with a shower of snowflakes. Though they weren't thick enough to obscure his vision there was enough snow to obscure the far side of the fjord. When combined with the growing wind it soon became clear that a furious blizzard was not far from the city._ At least the lightning is starting to subside. And who cares if it snows? That'll make it all the more dramatic when Elsa lifts ends the winter._

Elsa walked forward until she stood in the exact center of the plaza, gazing over the ice at the dormant castle. Her face was pensive as Kristoff and Anna moved to stand on one side of her while Aaron stopped on the other. The crowd of people following them quickly spread out around the courtyard, but none came closer than a few steps, leaving them alone in the center. There they all watched and waited.

A group of people could just be seen exiting through the castle's gates, though he couldn't see who they were. _Probably a welcoming party to ask us to go away._ Elsa wasn't looking at them, though. She was still looking up at the towering spire of the fortress, her eyes distant.

Leaning over, he whispered, "What are you thinking?"

Blinking, she met his eyes and shrugged. "Just that I can't believe I'm back in Arendelle after all this time. Especially after how I left it." Her lips turned up into the ghost of a smile. "And that if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have come home at all."

He felt a strong urge to lay a kiss on her cheek and give her a hug, but since neither of those seemed proper given their surroundings he elected to simply return the smile. "Everybody deserves the chance to go home," he replied, returning his attention to the approaching group. They were now close enough for him to make them out and what he saw caused his smile to fade.

It was a contingent of soldiers coming across the bridge. There were easily three dozen of them and they were armed with all manner of weaponry, ranging from swords to crossbows to numerous other tools of war. Marching at their head was Hans. The right side of his head was covered in a heavy bandage but his other eye was fixed on Aaron. The fuming hatred within that one eye was enough to prove that he wasn't about to give up the crown without a fight.

_Well, that suits me just fine._ He was spoiling for another opportunity to put the man down. Elsa, on the other hand, looked completely poised as she watched them approach. Her face gave away nothing other than a stern expression. Then there was Anna, who was seething at the mere sight of him. Her hands were squeezed into fists, her brow furrowed in a scornful glare. _I guess I'd be pretty upset if someone lied to me like that,_ he thought as they stood silently in the swirling snow, watching the battalion approach.

Eventually Hans reached the end of the bridge, continuing to walk forward several paces while his men fanned out behind him. When they were in place he turned his attention to Elsa with a sneer. "Queen Elsa. I was beginning to wonder if you would have the courage to show your face here ever again. And I see you brought your dog," he said, glancing at Aaron.

Though he wanted to punch Hans for his remark, Elsa calmly replied, "Prince Hans. It's a shame that you can't show your face either, what with your injury."

That wiped the smirk off his face, causing his face tightened into a scowl. Rather than offering another insult, though, he asked, "Why have you come here? You're not welcome in this city, after what you did to it."

"I have come to take back that which is my birthright. The crown of Arendelle," she said coolly, glancing at the stormy sky. "As for the winter, I intend to end it here and now and bring summer back to the people of Arendelle."

That got a response from the on looking crowd as murmurs swept through it. Hans silenced them with a glance before giving Elsa a cruel look, running a finger along the hit of his sword. "I can think of an easier way to end it."

Taking a step forward, Aaron growled, "You'd be dead before you could draw your sword."

Giving him a contempt filled stare, Hans asked, "And who's going to save you this time, I wonder?"

"As I recall it was you who needed saving. But why don't we finish what we started? Right here. Just you and me." _Finish this before it goes any farther._

"No!" interjected Elsa, stepping between them. "No one has to die today."

Though the two men continued to glower at one another Aaron conceded with a nod. Hans, on the other hand, gave her a pitying look. "Oh Elsa. I don't think you fully appreciate the situation. But first. Guards! Arrest that man!"

Aaron's hand instinctively drifted towards his sword once more while staring daggers at the men behind Hans, none of whom dared to approach him. Elsa also appeared to be preparing herself but it was Anna who was the first to respond. "Hello, Hans. Happy to see you too," she said with a scathing drawl.

"Anna? You're alive?" He turned to give her a look that suggested he was genuinely surprised to see her, and even a little disappointed. That look quickly vanished, replaced by one of concern as he walked forward with his arms outstretched as though to give her a hug. "Thank goodness! I was so wor-"

He was abruptly cut off, though, when Anna's fist collided with the side of his face with a satisfying _thwack_! Reeling back, he gave her an astonished look as she clasped her wrist with a wince. Despite the fact that the blow had obviously hurt her more than it did him she wound back to deal another blow, snarling, "That's for lying to me! And for trying to kill my sister!"

However, before she could land the punch Kristoff caught her other hand and pulled her back. A proud smirk was etched across his face as he whispered just loudly enough for Aaron to hear, "Whoa, feisty pants. Alright, you got your hit in."

No one else seemed to be smiling, though, as Anna's words sank in. Slowly all eyes turned to Hans, who was still doing his best to look betrayed by Anna. Then one of the guards behind him spoke. "Prince Hans, what is she talking about?"

He gave the man a deathly glare and seemed just about to say something when Elsa spoke first. "So you haven't told them, Hans?" she asked, letting her eyes narrow into a cold stare. "Well, now is your chance to come clean. Tell them what really happened in the mountains."

Facing her again, he didn't speak for several seconds before quietly saying, "Everything I did was in the best interest of the realm."

"Including breaking my heart, you monster?!" shouted Anna, pulling against Kristoff in an effort to get in another swing.

"I don't know what they told you, Anna, but I promise you it's all lies," Hans replied, glancing at her. Only this time there was no warmth in his eyes when he looked at her. _Looks like he's thinking of dropping the charade._

"Are you saying that you didn't try to have me killed?" asked Elsa, her voice adopting a scornful tone. "That you weren't using my sister in an effort to get on the throne?"

Instead of answering, Hans chose to remain silent, glancing around at the crowd of onlookers. Clearly he didn't like what he saw as his face darkened into a scowl. Returning his attention to Elsa, he shook his head. "I don't have to stand here and take your lies."

Elsa gave him a measured look for a moment before allowing herself a small smile. "Well, fortunately for you, we didn't come here to talk to you, Hans." Then she gestured to the citizens behind her and added, "We came here to talk to them." Turning away from him, her smile broadened as she said to the crowd, "Good people, I have come a long way to…"

Her voice quickly trailed off as the people quickly burst into a ruckus. Though they'd been content to simply watch and listen up to this point until she tried to address them directly. Then they all began to yell at once. Some hurled insults, others complaints while some just seemed to be shouting nonsense.

"You did this to us!"

"How could you just abandon us?!"

Hearing a chuckle over the din, Aaron glanced over his shoulder to see Hans wearing a broad smile. "Sounds to me like they don't want to talk to you," he said as he looked at the people amusedly.

Biting back a retort, Aaron looked back at the mob while trying to suppress a sudden surge of anger. _She came all this way for you, you ungrateful cretins! Listen!_ he thought as he glared at them. Perhaps it wasn't worth their time to try and save this city after all, if this was the reaction they gave. _Well, let's see how they feel after this winter rages for another month and there's no one here to save them._

His anger quickly receded, though, when he caught a glimpse of Elsa's face. Though her expression remained composed and she withstood the barrage without flinching, her eyes told a different story. They contained a deep and profound sadness as she looked out at the angry and frightened faces. All she wanted to do was help them but she was powerless to do anything about their growing contempt. A pang of guilt was starting to eat at him in response to his rage as he looked at her when a thought occurred to him. A way to get these people to listen. And if they wouldn't heed her words, perhaps they would listen to someone else.

Stepping up beside Elsa, he whispered into her ear, "Let me try."

She didn't respond right away, continuing to stare at the unruly mob, until she cast him a glance out of the corner of her eye and gave him an almost imperceptible nod. Returning the nod, he felt an urge to take her hand and give her an encouraging squeeze, but this was hardly the time for affection. So he stepped past her and walked forward until he stood between Elsa and the crowd.

Hardly any of them gave him so much of a glance, continuing to focus on Elsa, until someone noticed the flames trickling up his fingers. A panicked cry sounded when the flames suddenly grew, engulfing both his hands and flickering along his forearms. Every person in the plaza quickly seemed to forget about Elsa, turning their attention to him as their shouts died in their throats. Soon no one was saying a word. Instead they all stared at him in silence with both shock and fear.

He waited until he couldn't hear anything except for the whispering wind before he let the fires extinguish in a puff of smoke. However, he didn't say a word as he slowly surveyed the crowd with a stern visage, looking at each person for a moment before moving on to the next one. As he did so he also tried to quell the turbulent storm within. It was high time he came to terms with what Elsa was. Not who she was, but that which made her who she was. And that meant accepting that part of her that was royalty. So, after drawing in a deep breath, he spoke, shouting so that he could be heard by all.

"People of Arendelle! Your queen has returned! After weeks in the wilderness she has come to take her destined place upon the throne! Queen Elsa is the rightful ruler of this land, both by blood and by law, and her claim to the throne is absolute! You all know this to be true!" He paused to let his words sink in before letting his face deepen into a scowl. "And yet not all of you approve of her rule! Some may even think that Prince Hans would be a better king! Do not be taken in by this charlatan! He has already proven that he is willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants and he will silence anyone who gets in his way! Is that the sort of man you want running your kingdom?! I don't think so."

"As for those of you who support neither Hans nor Queen Elsa, I defy you to provide a reason why she should not be the one to assume the mantle! If any of you think you have a legitimate answer, speak up and let it be heard by all!" When no one reacted right away he took another stepped forward and swept the crowd with a challenging stare. "Anyone?!"

"She's a freak!"

Turning slowly, he saw a woman who had stepped out of the crowd, returning his gaze with a hostile glare. Her courage quickly faltered, though, when he let his eyes dissolve into twin pools of molten light and fire to once more jetted from his hands. "So am I," he replied menacingly, fixing the woman in place with his blazing stare. After a moment she lowered her eyes and took a step back into the crowd, ducking her head slightly. He continued to stare at her before releasing his fire, returning his attention to the crowd.

His tone lightened as he yelled, "And I'm guessing every one of you thought I was just another man up until a few moments ago! But I'm exactly that! A man! Nothing more, nothing less! I still hunger, I still sleep! If you cut me I will bleed just like the rest you! And Queen Elsa is just as human as you are as well! So what if she and I were born with extraordinary talents?! If a man can write a beautiful opera or a woman can create an exquisite painting, why are they not considered freaks?! They are no different from the two of us!"

A man stepped forward and exclaimed, "She abandoned us!" Clearly he hoped to catch Aaron off guard but was sorely mistaken when he turned and gave the man a glare.

"What would you have done in her place?" he asked, not even blinking until the man took a step back. Looking at another man, he asked, "How about you? And you?" Each person he asked gave a small jump at being singled out and looked away, unwilling to meet his eyes. After he challenged a few more people he addressed the mob as a whole once more.

"What would any of you have done?! If you felt scared when she revealed her powers, then just imagine how she felt! When you all turned on her she was alone and rejected, with no one to turn for help! So she felt as though she had no choice but to flee for fear of her own safety! But she comes back to you now, to save you from this icy fate and bring back the summer! To set right the wrong she committed!"

A few murmurs could be heard as the people muttered to one another, though the tone seemed mostly neutral. In fact, he thought he could see a few nods. Then an older fellow was the next to speak up. "Alright, let's assume that everything you have said is true! Maybe she is misunderstood and has our best interest at heart! How do we know she didn't tell you to say all this?! Why should we listen to you?!"

"Why?!" Before he answered, Aaron gestured at the fortress behind him. "Because I am not royalty! I was not born in a castle! I was born in a shack in Varhan! Like all you good people, I was never handed anything a day in my life! Like you, I had to earn my place through my own strength and wit! You should listen to me because I am one of you!" Giving another pause, he noticed that most of the fear was gone. Now the people seemed to be listening to him attentively even if they were still unsure of what to think.

Turning, he pointed a finger at Elsa and continued. "And as one of you I believe that Queen Elsa and Queen Elsa alone is fit to rule this kingdom! I have seen who she is! What she's capable of! Be it acts of kindness for the loyal and less fortunate, or swift and honorable justice upon the wicked! Unlike Hans, she does not seek to subjugate or enslave you! Simply to lead you! To guide you to a better tomorrow and to run this kingdom to the best of her abilities!"

He returned his full attention to the crowd and yelled, "Now some of you may be asking, why her?! What makes her so special?!" This got more nods and even a few agreeing shouts. "Well, unlike me, she is not one of you! She was born in a castle! She had things handed to her! But that enabled her to spend every waking minute of every day preparing herself so that she might one day be able to serve you, and make no mistake about who serves whom! A good ruler governs the people, but a great ruler serves the people, and this woman has the makings of a great ruler!"

This time when he stopped talking no one spoke. No one offered another excuse, no one talked to their neighbor. They all stared at him with a mixture of empathy and scrutiny. Whatever fear they might have had against either him or Elsa seemed to have disappeared, or at least been repressed, as they considered his words.

He let both his tone and expression lighten as he gestured at her once more. "She has already given her entire life, no, her entire _being_ to you! Now all you have to do is stand aside and let her do the one thing she was born to do! To don the crown and sit upon the throne of this glorious kingdom!"

After another pause he slowly turned until he faced Elsa. Her face had remained stoic throughout his speech but when he looked at her she gave him a small smile and her eyes softened. She had wondered if he could ever truly love the queen in her, and he could only think of one gesture to show his acceptance. So he flashed her a quick grin before shouting, "All hail Elsa! The one true queen of Arendelle!" When the echo of his voice faded away he slowly dropped to one knee so that he knelt before her, bowing his head.

No one else in the courtyard moved, with only the wind talking as it whistled over the ground and swirled the falling snow. That is, until he heard footsteps approach him. Turning his head, he saw Anna standing beside him. She also gave Elsa a warm smile before kneeling and bowing as well. With that, other people began to follow her lead, one by one. Both citizens and guards alike knelt on the ground and before long every person present bowed before Elsa, except for the men behind Hans.

They shifted uncomfortably, giving each uncertain glances, while Hans looked beside himself with rage after seeing the people of Arendelle submit to her. Elsa, on the other hand, had a look of surprise on her face as she looked out over the people. However, her shock was quickly replaced by a look of modest joy and she gestured for them to stand.

"Rise, all of you! Please!" When everyone was back on their feet she said, "It is truly humbling to see such support and I can only hope that I will be even a fraction of the queen that you deserve!" As she said this she gave them a small bow of her own, which got a cheer from some of them. Straightening back up, she gave Anna a smile before looking at Aaron. The affection that entered her eyes was enough to give his heart a small skip and he gave her an impassioned grin. Now all she had to do was end the winter and her return to the throne was assured. There was just one matter left to be dealt with.

Whatever joy she might have been feeling disappeared as she turned to give Hans a disdainful look. "The people have made their decision, Hans," she said. "So now you have a choice. You and your men can either succumb to custody and await the justice you deserve or you can fruitlessly waste your lives." Looking at the guards behind him, she added, "Those of you who follow Hans, if you stand down immediately you will not be harmed and will be treated fairly! You don't need to throw your lives away following this man!"

Hans was giving her a hateful sneer when he appeared to decide he was done with just doing nothing. "Enough of this!" he shouted, reaching for his sword. "Whoever brings me her head will be paid a king's ransom!"

Every guard in the courtyard not behind him quickly drew their weapons and moved to protect Elsa, but none of them moved as quickly as Aaron. A burning rage awoke within him at Hans's words and a guttural snarl tore from his lips as he stepped in front of her. Flames engulfed both his hands and his hair while fire erupted from his back, forming into two outstretched wings that separated the two forces. His blazing eyes were fixed on Hans when he bellowed, "The first man to draw his sword will be the first man to die!"

The crowd quickly retreated at the sudden hostility, letting out several panicked cries, while Hans's men hesitated. None of them seemed eager to engage the raging inferno before them and a few even began to back away. Hans, however, showed no such uncertainty as he glared at Aaron, pulling his sword from its sheath.

Aaron prepared to lunge forward when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. Glancing back, he saw Elsa was giving him a pleading look. When his eyes met hers she gave her head a shake before looking at Hans. "Wait. Hans. It doesn't have to end in violence. Please, for the sake of your men, stand down."

But he'd already come too far to back off now. Looking at his men, he motioned them forward while shouting, "Attack!"

The moment he spoke Aaron's wings swept down with a deafening _boom_, vaulting him through the falling snow while he drew his flaming sword in one fluid motion before bringing it down atop Hans's upraised blade.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

The air was filled with the ring of steel on steel and the cries of warring men. Aaron let out a bellow of his own as he slashed aside the sword of one of the two men he was fighting. The other attempted to skewer him with his spear only to have him twist out of the way and grab ahold of its shaft. His sword then came down, cleaving off the head of the spear and leaving the man with nothing more than a stick. Before he could drop it and draw his own sword Aaron's wings elevated him just high enough to kick the man in the face with his boot. He collapsed in a heap on the ground while Aaron returned his attention to the other one.

He'd lost track of Hans shortly after the fighting had started. They'd exchanged a few blows before he retreated into the midst of his men. Aaron had attempted to pursue but was met with a wall of swords and spears, forcing him back. At first he'd been tempted to simply roast them all with a single torrent of fire, but then it had occurred to him that the on looking citizens probably wouldn't appreciate it if he burned a dozen men alive in front of them. So, instead of depending on his flames, he decided to defeat Hans's men the old fashion way. With the sword in his hand.

A third man stepped forward to take the place of the other but he didn't last long when Aaron caught him in the throat with an elbow followed by cracking him upside the head with the hilt of his sword. Alongside him guards loyal to the crown also fought against the opposing forces, though neither of them were doing very well. Before either could be struck down Aaron spun, letting his flaming wings rake across their foes. The men gave out screams of pain as their skin burned and their clothes set alight. It only took a few blows to knock them out of the fight.

Taking advantage of the temporary respite he looked around at the battle, squinting through the falling snow. As soon as the two forces had clashed the blizzard had struck in force, putting the city in a severe whiteout. The wind roared in his ears and he couldn't see more than a few dozen feet in any direction. That which he could see was filled with men struggling against one another, fighting for control of the bridge.

There came a strange crystalline sound behind him followed by a _hiss_ and a _thunk_ and he turned to see a plinth of ice had risen up at his back. Sticking out of the far side of it was a crossbow bolt. His face paled slightly as he looked at the burrowed weapon and he thought, _Hmm. That was close._ Looking around, he caught sight of Elsa standing at the edge of his vision. She had a relived look on her face and one of her hands was stretched out towards him.

When he looked at her she let her arm drop and gave him a small smile. Returning the smile, he gave her a nod of thanks. _That's the third time she's saved my life. I'm going to have to think of a way to thank her._ She continued to look at him for a moment before turning away and calling up a wall of ice to protect a collapsed soldier. His smile broadened as he watched her act. She wasn't just standing by and watching them fight for her, she was doing her best to save their lives, which only made him love her all the more. _Now, where's that bastard who tried to put a bolt in my back._

His eyes caught sight of a man desperately trying to reload his crossbow several feet away. The man glanced up and froze when he saw Aaron looking at him before redoubling his efforts. Before he could, though, he was assaulted by a flaming sword that chopped his weapon in half. It was followed up by a kick to the chest that sent him over the railing to the frozen fjord below.

The fighting continued for several minutes but it was very quickly turning in favor of the queen. Hans's men were competent and skilled but they clearly weren't equipped for battling against a pair of sorcerers. Some found their feet suddenly frozen to the ground or were hampered by walls of ice sprouting out of the ground while others were beset by attacks from the sky combined with waves of fire that scattered them. All the while they were hemmed in by the opposing guards who gradually managed to force them back.

After several more men fell those who remained standing cast their weapons down and fell to their knees, surrendering to the mercy of Elsa. A cheer went up from the loyal forces, celebrating their victory. Aaron, however, was too busy looking around to appreciate their success. Someone was missing. After doing a quick scan of the crowd he looked at the guards and shouted over the wind, "Where's Hans?!"

Their grins quickly faded as they all looked at one another and their surroundings. Sure enough, Hans was nowhere to be seen. Anger billowed in Aaron when no one spoke up. _No! He can't have escaped!_ His rage was just about to get the better of him when he heard someone yell, "I think I see him! Over there!"

Turning, Aaron saw one of the guards pointing at the frozen harbor. He looked just in time to see a figure disappear into the billowing snow. As soon as he saw him his wings spread, preparing to launch him into the air. Just before they did he heard Elsa's voice call out to him. "Aaron! Wait!"

But his mind was made up. His wings dropped, hurling him forward as he dived off the bridge and into the air. The howling storm battled his every movement, trying to fling him down and dash him against the ground. Luckily, his wings were strong enough to keep him aloft as he fought his way forward. His wings worked furiously while he scanned the frozen waters below for any sign of his quarry. At first he didn't see anything other than snow and ice. Then his eyes noticed something moving quickly along the ground.

Down below he caught sight of a man running along the ice. Sure enough, it was Hans. He clasped his sword in one hand and a loaded crossbow in the other and as he ran he cast furtive glances over his shoulder, looking for pursuers. Unfortunately for him he never looked up, so he didn't see Aaron circling above him. After another pass he dived, swooping in towards Hans's back.

Hans must have heard him approach but by the time he turned it was already too late. He started to raise his crossbow only to have Aaron's foot collided with it, knocking it from his hand and sending it sliding across the ice. Meanwhile his other foot caught him in the chest, sending Hans crashing backwards.

With a flap of his wings Aaron landed on the ice, skidding to a halt. The tip of his sword rotated in lazy circles while he glowered down at Hans, who lay dazed. After a moment he seemed to remember his life was in mortal peril and he looked up at Aaron. Upon seeing him brandishing his sword he promptly started to crawl backwards before rolling onto his knees. Hans climbed to his feet and made to continue fleeing.

Before he could take so much as a step, though, Aaron bellowed through the furious storm, "Hans! You can't run from this!"

Spinning to face him, Hans gave him an equally spiteful look. "Watch me!"

"Wherever you go I will find you!" he replied, pointing the tip of his sword at Hans. "And I will bring you to justice! At least meet your fate with dignity!"

Continuing to back away, Hans shrugged. "What does it matter what I do?! You'll just kill me with fire!"

_Where's the fun in that? _Aaron thought, shaking his head. "I told you I wanted to finish this man to man! So let's finish this! Right here, right now! No fire, no others, just the blades in our hands!"

"Do I have a choice?!"

He started to advance towards Hans with his sword by his side, his lips pulling up in a grin. "Of course! You get to choose if you die fighting like a man or fleeing like a coward!"

"And if I refuse?!"

Aaron's grin vanished instantly as he suddenly raised his sword. "Then you shall die!"

Hans was barely able to react in time, darting back to prevent Aaron's sword from cleaving him in twain. Raising his own blade, he swung at Aaron's waist and the two swords met with a loud _clang._ He took a step back, spinning his blade as he went. _Good. Got some fight in you yet._ Skipping forward a step, Hans took a swipe as his legs but he knocked the attack aside, retreating another step. They continued to probe one another's defense silently, with one lunging forward while the other pulled away, until Hans's footing slipped on the ice. Then Aaron charged and they engaged in earnest.

It quickly became apparent that Hans was the more skilled swordsman, which was to be expected. He'd had a lifetime to practice the craft while Aaron was busy simply trying to survive in the wilds. But that didn't mean he had the advantage. When he managed to knock Aaron off balance he moved in for a killing blow, only to have a wall of flames erupt between them and force him to stumble back.

"I thought you said you wouldn't use your fire?!" he hollered scornfully.

Having regained his footing Aaron began to stalk to his left, circling him. "Only that I wouldn't kill you with it!"

Before Hans could reply he charged forward, swinging at his head. Ducking under the blow, he tried to impale Aaron only to have his blade knocked aside by a quick parry. Rather than backing away Hans barreled forward, driving his shoulder into Aaron's chest. As he did so his foot snaked around behind Aaron's so that when he pushed forward Aaron lost his footing and fell heavily onto the ice. His head clacked against the frozen plane, causing stars to spark in his vision, but he still had enough awareness to block Hans's downward stroke. Before Hans could strike again Aaron's foot caught him in the stomach, forcing him back while simultaneously allowing Aaron to roll upright.

They both hesitated a moment before rushing forward and clashing their blades once more. Hans's sword managed to trap Aaron's beneath it and he took advantage by catching Aaron in the jaw with his fist. But, instead of reeling back, Aaron spun with the motion, twirling so that his elbow smashed into Hans's chest. The resulting stumble was enough to save him as Aaron's following slash passed through the air where his midsection had been.

Despite Hans's best efforts, though, it was obvious which way the duel was going. Whenever he managed to gain an edge or a little momentum Aaron would use his wings to retreat beyond the reach of his sword. Either that or his fire would force Hans back, allowing Aaron to follow up with an attack of his own. While he managed to withstand the barrages it was clear that he was getting the worse end of the battle. Sooner or later his guard would slip and Aaron's blade would find its mark. It was only a matter of time.

Eventually Hans lunged forward in the hope of running him through. Unfortunately for him, Aaron's wings swept him out of reach once again so when his sword met nothing it caused him to become unbalanced and lurch unsteadily. Aaron's response was to grab ahold of his wrist and pull him closer while swinging around his other hand, catching Hans in the face with the pommel of his sword.

There was a loud _crack_ and the prince stumbled back, clutching a hand to his face. When he pulled it away Aaron saw blood flowing freely from his nose, which now bent at a sharp angle. Hans looked at the blood glistening on his hand before glowering at Aaron and charging forward once more.

His movements were sluggish and his breathing ragged, showing just how tired he'd become, so Aaron lazily swatted his blade aside and let him stagger past. The moment Hans's back faced him he spun and slashed him with the edge of his sword, flaying a gash across his back. He gave a loud cry of agony, planting the tip of his sword in the ice to remain upright while clawing at the seeping wound with his other hand.

For a while neither of them moved in the swirling snow. Hans was nearly being blown from his feet by the howling wind but he still managed to raise his sword and turn to face Aaron, who was watching him warily. He tried his best to continue attacking but every swing was easily knocked away and one countering slash was almost enough to bring him to his knees. There was clearly no quit in the man, which was admirable, but Aaron had had enough. It was time to end this.

One flap of his wings was enough to cause a strong gale that forced Hans to reel back. Before he could recover Aaron sent a flash of fire along the blade of his sword before he brought it crashing down with an echoing bellow. Hans quickly brought his own weapon up to block like before, only this time Aaron's sword now burned brighter than a dying star. Rather than deflecting off the flame shard blade cleaved through its steel counterpart in one clean stroke.

The decapitated weapon clattered to the ice at their feet and Hans found himself holding nothing more than a broken handle. Before he could so much as drop it, though, the tip of Aaron's blade flicked to under his chin. After dropping his smoking hilt Hans lifted his hands submissively. Then he smirked and said, "Alright, I concede. You win. Take me into custody."

Aaron didn't answer, his scowl deepening and his sword flaring brighter. _Think it's that easy, do you? _Hans's smile had begun to fade when Aaron suddenly lunged forward, catching him in the stomach with his knee and knocking the wind from him. Sprawling on the ice, Hans desperately sucked in air he fought to crawl away. He followed a pace behind the pathetic man, his sword slowly drifting back and forth. Before Hans got much farther Aaron gave him a hard kick in the side, forcing him to roll over. His mouth now dipped into a terrified frown while despair entered into his voice. "You wouldn't kill an unarmed man, would you?"

Still Aaron didn't respond, towering over him ominously. There was no compassion or pity in his face as he drew his sword back over his head. Hans's eyes widened in terror and his hands came up to defend himself while he gave one last frantic plea. "No! Please! I'll do anything!" When the blade descended he squeezed his eyes shut and prepared for the end.

But the end didn't come. Aaron's sword came to a halt less than an inch above him, its flames clawing towards his skin. When Hans opened his eyes Aaron leaned in and growled, "She wouldn't want me to. That's the only reason you're alive."

Relief flashed across Hans's face as he began to sit up. "Oh, thank y-"

He didn't get a chance to finish that sentence when Aaron drew back and dealt him a swift backhand across the side of the head. An agonized yelp tore from him as he clutched his charred face, thrashing quietly.

Aaron watched him writhe for a moment before saying, "Don't think I'm showing you mercy, pig. You will still pay for your crimes."

Straightening up, he sheathed his sword while fighting the urge to also give him another kick. Hans may have deserved it but he didn't see the need to torment him further. He was about to force Hans to his feet when he paused. _Did I just hear something?_ When he glanced around, though, he couldn't see anyone else. Just the blizzard ragging around them.

Then he heard it again, only this time he recognized it. A certain person calling his name. "Elsa?!"

Sure enough, when he turned he could just make her out, struggling towards him through the billowing snow. As soon as he saw her he hurried towards her, questions flooding into his mind. _What's she doing? Is everything alright?_ When he stopped in front of her she flung her arms around him before he could speak, exclaiming, "Aaron! Thank goodness!"

After letting her hug him for a moment he turned so that his wings sheltered her from the buffeting of the wind. He then held her an arm's length and gave her a concerned look, asking, "What are you doing out here? Why aren't you back in the courtyard with Anna? Has something happened?"

Realizing she'd caused him to grow worried, Elsa smiled and shook her head. "No. I couldn't just stand by while you risked your life, though," she said, her tone comforting. "When you went after Hans I lost sight of both of you in the storm, and then neither of you came back. Since I find the thought of something happening to you while I did nothing unbearable I decided to come after you."

When she was done talking he let out a sigh of relief. _Phew! Don't scare me like that._ Allowing himself a smile, he nodded past her at the prone Hans, who was lying on his side facing away from them. "While I appreciate your concern, you shouldn't have bothered. As you can see I managed to take care of Hans. Don't worry, he's unharmed." When she turned to look at him Aaron remembered the gash in his back and shrugged. "That is, I didn't give him any serious injuries."

Elsa only gave him a glance before turning back to Aaron. "I'm just glad you're alright," she said, slipping her arms around him for a second hug.

This time Aaron allowed himself to enjoy the embrace. For a moment he forgot about the ragging storm, the fallen Hans. All he thought about was the woman in his arms. It was finally over. Hans was defeated, the people had affirmed their allegiance and Elsa was unharmed. Only then did he finally allow himself to relax. Eventually, though, he pulled himself back to the world. _This winter isn't going to end itself._ He was about to say as much to Elsa when his eyes detected movement.

Over her shoulder he saw Hans start to crawl away over the ice. However, Aaron made no move to pursue him. _Let him flee. I can run him down again easily enough._ But then Hans stopped, his hands snatching something off the surface of the frozen fjord before he stood. As he turned Aaron's heart stopped when he saw the object in his hand.

His eyes widened and everything around him seemed to slow as he desperately tried to react in time. Hans wore a victorious leer as he leveled the crossbow at Elsa's back. Her expression began to change when she saw the shock crossing his face, her head starting to turn. His first instinct was to launch fire at Hans, but it would never reach him before he pulled the trigger. Instead he took ahold of Elsa's shoulder to shove her away.

His hand pushed her aside when he heard the crossbow fire. He was looking into her azure eyes when he felt the bolt strike.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

The world had come to a halt around Elsa. None of her senses were working. Her ears could hear nothing. Not the raging wind, not the rippling of her cloak, not even the sound of her own breath. Her skin ceased to feel. She didn't notice the brush of her clothes nor the lash of the snow on her cheek. Her mind no longer continued to work. It was frozen, unable to think or sense or reason. Her eyes were blind to everything around her, unable to comprehend anything through the haze. Except for one thing.

All she could see was the feathered shaft protruding from Aaron's chest.

The bolt was burrowed just beneath his left shoulder and was already rimmed with crimson liquid. Its carmine fletching and birch shaft were all she could see of the weapon, with the steel head buried somewhere deep within him. His face was still filled with a great deal of shock, his eyes staring over her shoulder, but pain was already beginning to contort his features. His mouth was slightly agape and being pulled into a small frown while his brows began to pull together. His hand, though still aloft, had been knocked from her shoulder by the impact of the bolt.

That one moment in time seemed to drag on for what felt like an eternity as she struggled and failed to comprehend what was happening. Her entire body was motionless with all her senses quiet and yet she still couldn't believe what her eyes insisted to be true. All the while her brain tried to come to terms with one thought. _Aaron… Aaron's been shot?_

Then, all at once, the world resumed. Sound rushed back to her in the form of her own heartbeat thundering in her ears. She still didn't notice the storm around them, instead watching his wings be shredded to embers by the wind until they flashed from existence. Aaron stumbled back a step, his own eyes fixed on the bolt, before falling heavily to his knees. All that prevented him from crumbling all the way to the ice was his one uninjured arm, which barely able to prop him up.

Elsa also found herself tottering as shock continued to waylay her mind. _No. No no no no no._ She was so distraught that it took several moments for her to realize that the wind had ceased to blow. In fact, the entire blizzard had suddenly stopped. Even though there was no longer a howling gale the snowflakes continued to hang in the air, seemingly of their own accord, to form a silvery shimmering mist that hung over the landscape. Any other time and she might have considered it to be a strikingly beautiful sight. But not then.

All she could do was sink to her knees beside her love and desperately try to reach him. "Aaron?" Hysteria entered her voice when he didn't respond as she tried again. "Aaron?! Can you hear me?!" After a pause he gradually turned his head to look at her but still didn't say anything. His eyes stared into hers but they were uncomprehending, as though he couldn't hear anything she had said.

She was about to try calling his name once more when a soft chuckle distracted her. After turning her head she noticed Hans, who was watching them with an amused grin on his face. When she looked at him he cheerfully said, "He doesn't look too good."

As soon as he spoke all the despair she felt drained from her body, leaving her in a void between emotions. With her heart vacant she whispered, "What have you done?"

Hans's smile broadened and he cocked his head towards her, replying, "Sorry, I didn't catch that. Say again?"

"I said, what have you done?!" Her voice started out quiet but quickly built to a shriek as she rose to her feet and turned to face him. Emotions once more coursed through her entire being, only it wasn't rage or anguish this time. A cold, black hatred seeped into her, infecting her heart and spreading throughout the rest of her. Around her she felt the ice begin to shift and warp, with loud cracks rumbling deep below the surface.

Her scream caused Hans's smirk to falter and he instinctively took a step back, his eyes darting to the frozen fjord beneath him. One of his hands strayed towards his belt, searching for another bolt to load into his crossbow. When he found none he gave her a nervous look, saying, "Hey, I didn't kill him. Look, he's still alive."

Elsa could feel her powers spreading out into the ice around her, bending it to her will as she took a step forward. Whatever pity she might have felt for Hans was now gone, replaced by a writhing abhorrence that drove her to act. Her face slipping into a threatening scowl, she reached out towards the ice beneath him while hissing, "That doesn't mean I'm not going to kill you."

Before she could act, though, she felt a hand clasp onto her wrist. "No."

Turning back, she saw that Aaron's right hand had taken a firm hold of her. Though his breathing was shallow and his face was still stricken with agony he looked up at her and shook his head. He then made to stand and, even though it took a while and he nearly fell again as soon as he did so, he gradually managed to pull himself upright. His complexion had become ashen and his skin clammy but he still gave her a steady look and repeated, "No, Elsa."

Whatever relief she'd felt to hear his voice quickly disappeared as she gave him a glare. "Look what he's done to you!" she exclaimed, waving a hand at his shoulder before composing herself and adding, "He deserves this."

"Yes, he does. But you don't kill people, Elsa." When she made to protest he held up his hand, silencing her. That was when she noticed a dark menace had entered the depths of his eyes. "I do."

His amber eyes then pierced Hans, who had adopted an anxious expression. A weak smile crossed his face when Aaron looked at him and he pretended to breathe a sigh of relief. "Hey, glad to see you're alright. You had us worried for a second there."

Aaron didn't return the smile. Instead he gave him a grim look for a few seconds before asking, "Do you remember what I said I would do if you ever tried to harm Elsa again?" Though Hans didn't answer his face paled, clearly indicating that he knew exactly what Aaron was referring to. When he still didn't talk Aaron continued. "Well, unfortunately for you, I'm a man of my word. So there's only one thing to do."

A hint of panic entered Hans's eyes and he tried another plea. "Maybe you could-"

"Silence!"

Even Elsa jumped at Aaron's abrupt roar. His face contorted in rage for a moment before he calmed again. Raising his arm, he then pointed at him while speaking softly. "Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. For attempting to murder Elsa, I hereby sentence you to death." His words hung in the still air for a moment before fire suddenly spurted from his shoulder to his hand, bathing his entire arm in flames. A vengeful hatred appeared in his eyes and his voice dropped to a dreadful growl when he added, "May you burn in both this world and the next."

When the final word left his lips the fire engulfing his arm exploded forward in a ragging torrent. Hans only had time to give a panicked cry before the inferno consumed him in a maelstrom of destruction. Rather than dispersing after it devoured him, though, the blaze only grew with more flames being fueled into it. The heat created by the massive conflagration was unbearable, its light blinding and its noise howling, so Elsa felt as though she had no choice but to turn away, instead looking at Aaron. He neither blinked nor flinched while pouring flames into the storm. His face was expressionless but his eyes still glinted with a seething wrath as he unleashed the full extent of his fury.

Eventually Aaron lowered his arm, extinguishing his flames. The moment he did so the firestorm dissipated and returned to nothing. Slowly, after hesitating several seconds, Elsa reluctantly turned to see what was left of Hans only to find that there was nothing to see. All there was where he had stood was a broad strip of steaming water. Whatever remained of the would-be usurper now rested at the bottom of the fjord.

A heavy sigh drew her attention back to Aaron, who was giving the tepid water a fatigued look. Whatever rage or hatred he'd felt a moment ago was now gone, replaced by a soul-rending weariness. As she looked at him he gave a satisfied nod before beginning to waver back and forth. He was about to collapsed when she reached out and caught ahold of his good arm, doing her best to keep him upright.

Her own hate had quickly disappeared, replaced by a growing concern, so she gently asked, "How do you feel?"

He was slow to respond and gave his head a shake before saying, "Just… just a little dizzy."

"Maybe you should sit down."

"Maybe," he consented with a nod. With her help he was able to lower himself down onto the ice again. Once there he sat cradling his limp left arm with his right one and concentrated on taking steady breaths. Though not much blood was seeping from his wound it was clear that he was suffering from internal bleeding along with a great deal of pain. Every movement caused him to wince or gasp and he didn't even try to move his other arm.

Seeing him like this was even worse than their panicked flight through the mountains so she came to a decision. It wasn't one she was happy with, but something had to be done. Crouching down beside him, she put a hand on his good shoulder until he turned to look at her. She then quietly said, "Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to lie you down on the ice so that you're comfortable. Then I'm going to run as fast as I can to the castle. There are doctors there and they'll be able to help you, I know it."

However, before she could move his right hand reached out and grabbed onto hers. His eyes became slightly panicked as he quickly replied, "Don't. Don't go." There was even fear underscoring his words when he spoke.

She tried to pull her hand from his but even in his weakened state he still kept a firm grasp on her and she was unable to break away. _Aaron, it's the only way. Please let go._ Looking back into his eyes, she quietly said, "They can save you, Aaron. And I'll come back here as quickly as possible."

Distress could now be clearly seen in his face and he shook his head. "Please. Don't leave me out here. I can walk, I only need a minute or two to compose myself. Just, please, stay with me."

She continued to fight him for a moment before relenting. Though it gave her incredible amounts of anguish to watch him suffer and she still thought that her way was the best way to save him she consented. If he wanted her to stay, then she would stay. Blinking the tears from her eyes, she gave him a smile before whispering, "Okay."

He returned the smile after a moment before looking off into space. She sat beside him for a few seconds before shifting behind him and gently pulling him back until his head rested in her lap. Elsa then began to hum quietly while absentmindedly stroking his hair, all while watching his face anxiously.

The panic gradually faded, replaced by a calm serenity. He would occasionally wince or his breathing would hike up but otherwise he lay still, looking pensively at the wicked shaft stuck in his shoulder. After a while his eyes drifted skyward and a large smile split across his face. "Did you do this?" he asked, nodding upward.

Looking up, she saw that the snowy mist still hung around them. Not a single breeze disturbed it as the snowflakes continued to hover weightlessly over the frozen water. She could see all the way to the far side of the fjord, as well as the city behind them, and everything had a silvery sheen to it. A handful of rays of the sun had managed to penetrate through the fog, creating golden shafts of light that arced up to the heavens and sparkled across the snow. Now that she wasn't as worried about Aaron dying she had to admit it was a wonder to behold.

Realizing that he was probably waiting for an answer, she also smiled and said, "Yes, I think so. Not on purpose, I think my powers did this on their own."

Aaron didn't respond right away, remaining silent for a few seconds before speaking. "It's beautiful. But not half as beautiful as you."

She looked down to see that he was now gazing at her with a fond smile on his lips. Even though he'd nearly been mortally wounded and his skin was still ashen he continued to look at her with love and affection. Her first instinct was to return the look but something prevented her from doing so, so Elsa instead gave him an inquisitive stare.

His smile quickly faded and he returned the look before asking, "What?"

It took a moment for her to voice her thoughts, but she eventually said, "Aaron, you took a bolt for me."

What she expected was some sort of reaction. Anything, really. Instead his expression became extremely neutral and he didn't even blink. "I did."

His reply was so calm it unsettled her. _Doesn't he realize what could have happened?_ "You could have died!"

Aaron's initial response was to shrug, which he instantly regretted. After the gasping and wincing had receded he replied, "I still could. But what was the alternative? Just stand there and watch you get shot? I don't think so."

Unfortunately, his absolute certainty in his actions only served to confuse her further, so she quietly asked, "But why? Why sacrifice yourself for me?"

Rather than offering a lengthy explanation or an impassioned speech, he simply gave her a look that suggested that he felt that was the easiest question to answer in all the world. His eyes smoldered dimly as he said, "I love you, Elsa." After a pause he added, "Wouldn't you have done the same in my place?"

"Of course, but…" she replied quickly before trailing off. Of course she would. She hadn't even hesitated to answer him. Though Elsa had only known the man for a few brief weeks there wasn't a single doubt in her mind that she would step between him and certain death if she had to. And yet she found it so shocking that he had done exactly that for her. Never in her life did she expect to meet anyone who would do that for her. Maybe Anna would, but never a man.

Still there he lay, looking for all the world like he would do it again without a second thought. The feelings in her heart that stirred in response to the caring look he was giving her were almost too much to bear so she leaned down to give him a tenderly brief kiss. When she pulled away she smiled and said, "I don't deserve you."

Letting out a chuckle that ended in a cough, Aaron shook his head. "I think you have that backwards."

"Agree to disagree. Come on. We need to get you back so someone can get that thing out of you. Can you stand?"

"Probably." That ended up being easier said than done, because as he sat up he shifted his shoulder. A pained cry tore from him and he hunched over, breathing heavily, for a minute before giving her an agonized glance. "Hopefully."

After several more gasps and winces he managed to get upright and Elsa slung his arm over her, helping him as they made their way back to the castle through the shimmering mist.


End file.
